The Dragon Ninja & The Shrine Maiden
by thegreycheshire
Summary: The Hayabusa Village is attacked by an ancient unknown force. Leaving Ryu Hayabusa weakened. Now he and his apprentice, Momiji, Must figure out a way to stop this force. This story takes place sometime after Ninja Gaiden II.
1. Prologue

The sun was just beginning to rise.

Deep in the woods, near a village under looking Mount Fuji. Two ninjas were training.

Kiai echoed through the woods as the ninja traded blows.

A tall well built male; dressed in a blue sleeveless ninja garb, with the hood pulled off. Exposing handsome features, forest green eyes, and long dark brown hair held in a ponytail. And a pretty young woman, dressed in white ninja garb. With long black hair pulled into a high ponytail and Hazel eyes.

As the two continued to spar, a third figure stood off in the distance. Standing in shadows, wearing a dark cloak and hood pulled low over their face. Observing the Ninja.

Turning away, the figure melted into the darkness. In the spot they had been standing, a single large purple flower now grew, and everything around it started to wilt and die.


	2. Chapter 1 - Momiji

"Your technique is improving, but your stance is weak. You're wide open," said Ryu Hayabusa as he traded blows with his apprentice. Dropping low to the ground, he swept her legs out from under her, to prove the point.

Not missing a beat. She fell backwards landing in a tight back-roll, using the momentum to launch herself into a forward kick that connected solidly with his chest. sending him stumbling backwards a few steps

Momiji smiled.

She had come along way in the months she had been training under Ryu.

In little less than a year, she had already become a better hand to hand combatant than most Ninja's twice her size. And she was very skilled with a katana and her weapon of choice, the Dragon Naginata.

"You have improved much, I might have to stop taking it easy on you," Ryu said, assuming a new stance.

"I'm just getting started," She said, doing the same.

This time she went on the offensive. As she ran towards her master.

She formed a fist and willed flames to engulf her hand, aiming it at Ryu. He narrowly dodged the powerful blow; side-stepping to face her back. Only to find her spinning foot traveling in an arc coming directly at his head. He leaned backwards avoiding her kick by inches. Leaving him slightly off balance.

Momiji used the advantage to step within his guard.

She aimed a quick jab at Ryu's face, he blocked it easily by batting to the side. But as soon as his hand touched hers, she latched onto his wrist.

Grabbing under his arm, she spun around and threw him over her shoulder.

As he landed on his back she brought her foot down in a powerful ax kick only to find he had already rolled out of the way.

"Is this all I get from the great dragon ninja? Perhaps we should call it a day." She called after him.

Fast as lighting, Ryu disappeared in a swirl of leaves. She tried to sense his presence but with no luck.

Appearing above her head. He grabbed her shoulders, landing behind her using the force of his momentum to throw her in front of him.

As she started to recover, he ran forward leaping into a spinning kick that she barely managed

to side-step. Bringing her knee up, she aimed a kick at the back of Ryu's head. He crouched low to the ground, sweeping her legs out from under her; for the second time.

She landed hard on her back, her eyes spinning and the wind knocked out of her.

"I think you got a little too sure of yourself there," Ryu said; a hint of a smile playing on his lips as he offered her his hand. She accepted grudgingly.

"I think this concludes our training for today."

They bowed to each other and began walking back to the Hayabusa village.

"You've improved greatly in the past few months," Ryu said; a note of pride in his voice.

"Your technique is excellent and your form is near perfect. but you get too cocky, and as a result, you become predictable."

"Hmm, you seemed to be struggling a bit today." Momiji said, a grin spreading across her face. "perhaps you haven't fully recovered from the other day."

She was referring to their last sparing session. In which she managed to land an Izuna drop on Ryu, leaving a particularly nasty bruise.

"To the contrary" Ryu said in a matter of fact voice. "I was simply taking it easy on you. There were multiple instances in which you left yourself wide open."

"You were giving it your all." She said indignantly.

He gave her a half wink and they continued walking back to the village.

They split up when they got back to the village. Ryu had solo training to do and Momiji had to preform shrine maiden rituals.

As she walked through the village on her way to the temple, she spotted Omitsu teaching an archery class of around twenty young ninjas. She smiled and waved, Momiji smiled and waved back.

She continued walking, through the village gates and over a wide-open bridge. She walked up a short set of stairs and came upon a small building. Walking through it she came out on a courtyard and saw Sanji, Hanamaru, Denroku, Sakura, and some of the other village children playing a game of tag. They were all running and laughing. It made her happy seeing them having such a good time.

Sakura suddenly stopped, spotting her.

"Momiji!" she yelled, running over to her, hugging her leg. "Momiji!" the boys shouted, also running over. She laughed picking Sakura up.

She had become somewhat of a surrogate older sister to a lot of the kids in the village, most of them had lost their families during the dark dragon blade incident.

"Momiji, were you just training with Master Ryu?" Sanji asked wide-eyed.

"Yes, he should be doing some solo training but I'm sure he would love to train with you after he's done"

"Will you play with us?" Hanamaru asked

"I'm sorry, but I must get up to the temple. But once I'm done I'll play with you for the rest of the day."

"Yay!" they all cheered and ran off to continue their game.

"I made you this" Sakura said, holding up a red and white flower woven into a hairpin.

"Oh, Sakura! It's beautiful" Momiji said kneeling down and taking the pin.

"It matches mine," She said, pointing to a purple and white flower in her hair.

"Thank you," Momiji said putting the pin in her hair and hugging the young girl. Sakura gave her a big smile then ran off after the others.

Still smiling, she walked through the gate on the other side of the courtyard. And began walking up a steep set of stone steps carved into the side of the mountain; leading up to the temple. At regular intervals on each side, there were archery towers, with clan ninja keeping watch. They bowed respectfully as she walked past.

Finally reaching the temple, she walked inside. She would have to change her clothes before beginning her shrine maiden duties.

The next day,

Momiji awoke just before sunrise. Getting dressed, she would be spending the morning training with

Ryu.

As she approached their usual training ground. A small clearing with a stream running near it, a short ways off the path leading to the Hayabusa village.

Underneath a large red maple tree was Ryu, sitting on a long smooth rock, he was meditating.

Walking up as silently as she could, she sat down next to him, her legs crossed and her hands folded in her lap.

Closing her eyes; she began to meditate. Letting her mind wander.

Immediately thoughts of the past flooded her mind, mostly about her sister, Kureha.

She saw scenes of her sister's death.

Fire burning everything. Kureha standing alone, flames engulfing her as well.

She hadn't been at the village when Doku attacked, killing her sister, (who at that time was the current Dragon Shrine Maiden) their parents, and many other villagers. But Ryu told her what had happened.

When she returned she found the village destroyed. Leaving almost no survivors.

Her parents had been part of the many innocent lives slaughtered.

She saw scenes of them lying on the ground, bloody gashes across their bodies and blank expressionless faces.

The rational side of her knew even if she had been there, she wouldn't have been able to save them. She would have just died along with them. But deep down she blamed herself.

It was part of the reason that drove her to become Ryu's apprentice. She would make sure she could protect the people she cared for in the future. She owed her family that.

She pushed all of that to the side and focused on happier memories.

Herself playing with Kureha, Ryu and some of the other village kids when they were young, they were playing tag, running all through the village. She saw herself and Kureha picking flowers in a meadow near a house her family owned outside the village.

"Momiji?" Ryu asked softly.

She opened her eyes her mind snapping back into focus. Ryu was already standing.

"Shall we begin"

"Yes." She said solemnly as she stood up, still collecting her thoughts.

The ninja bowed to each other and began their training.

It was late afternoon when they decided to conclude that day's training.

Walking back to the village, they didn't speak. Just simply enjoyed each other's company.

Winter had ended and spring had begun. the mid-day air was warm, the flowers on the cherry blossoms had started to bloom, wildflowers grew all around the path, and a light breeze rippled through the grass.

It was a peaceful day, uninterrupted by speech, just two people enjoying it.

But none of it could last.


	3. Chapter 2 - Ryu

They saw the smoke first, then heard the screams. Their tranquil walk turned into a hurried sprint,

then into a desperate run.

The village was being attacked, houses burned, they could hear wails in the distance, sulfur was burning their throats. The temple was already blazing.

As they passed through the cemetery, just before the village gates. They encountered two fiends. Demons, with silky ink-black skin, long razor-like claws, carrying katana. It looked like they had been desecrating the cemetery.

Rage filled Ryu. fast as lighting, he ran ahead; unsheathing his Dragon Sword.

In a singular motion, he leaped into the air and dashed to the other side of where the fiends were standing. Flicking blood off his sword, he sheathed it as the fiend's heads toppled from their shoulders.

They stood paralyzed for a moment, then they crumpled to the ground. Inky black blood squirting from bloody stumps.

Around where the fiend blood had splashed, the grass was turning brown and surrounding plants and flowers were beginning to wilt.

"I've never seen fiend blood do that before," Momiji said, catching up to Ryu.

"We need to hurry." He said. "You circle around the village, save anyone you can. See if you can find Omitsu. Meet me at the temple once you've gotten everyone out safely."

"Yes, Master," Momiji said as she headed towards the surrounding village.

Ryu looked darkly at the dying plants, the head-stones were starting to corrode. He then began to run towards the village gates.

Reaching the gates, Ryu could sense fiends beyond. He could also sense some sort of power coming from the direction of the temple. It was faint, but it seemed like something he had felt once before, and that put him on edge.

He drew his sword and pushed through.

He stepped out on to a wide-open bridge that would lead up to the temple. He didn't immediately see any fiends. But he could still sense their presence.

He dashed across the bridge, still not encountering any demons. More strangely not encountering any villagers either. This section of the village appeared to be untouched.

He ran past the gates and up the set of stairs, reaching a small building that was ablaze. He darted past, through a walkway on the side that leads out into a courtyard. He could sense more and more fiends. He could sense them all around him.

The courtyard was blazing and in the middle was a small group of fiends; no more than half a dozen.

He narrowed his eyes. "There should be more than this pathetic group of demons." he thought to himself.

Concentrating his ki. He summoned a fireball, launching it at the group of fiends.

The fireball hit one demon, incinerating it on the spot. Blasting the others away.

They started making hideous wailing sounds as they rushed towards him.

He quickly dismembered the remaining fiends and then headed towards a door located on the opposite side of the courtyard.

Through the door, he headed up the long, steep, set of stone stairs.

The watchtowers were on fire. Some had been toppled over. Corrosion marks could be found on the support beams, the surrounding plant life dead. But oddly still, He couldn't find any bodies lying around. Or any sign that there way any type of a fight.

It was as if everyone had disappeared.

"Master, Ryu," Momiji said in a hushed voice, dropping down next to him.

"Did you find anyone?"

"No." She said slightly choked. "Except for a few fiends ravaging everything they could find; I could find no villagers left alive."

"Did you find Omitsu?"

"No."

"Good, then she probably got as many people out as she could. They know in the case of an incident like this the Mugen Tenshin clan will offer refuge." He said as he started back up the stairs.

"But Ryu, I didn't see any sign of the clan's ninja either," Momiji said following behind. "No bodies, nothing; And the fiends that I did find were extremely weak. How could this have happened?"

He gave no answer and they continued up the mountain.

Dusk was just beginning when they reached the top.

As the two ninjas reached the gate just before the temple entrance, Ryu stopped.

There was a dark and not completely unfamiliar presence coming from the courtyard. He could sense the same power he had felt earlier. an ancient power was radiating from the other side. And he felt like he had sensed the power once before. And he was starting to remember where.

Several months ago, when he had defeated the Archfiend Vazdah, he had traveled down into the underworld. This power reminded him of that place.

This power, he had felt it emitting from the deepest part of that place. He had originally taken it for the place itself. But now... now he felt the same power coming from inside the gate.

"Ryu?" Momiji asked.

"Let's go." He said, pushing the gates open.

Walking into the courtyard, he didn't immediately see anyone. Then he spotted a figure dressed in a simple black cloak. They were standing in front of the burning temple. There was no one else in the courtyard.

"Good evening," The hooded figure said, still watching the temple burn.

"Who are you and what do you want?" He said as the two approached the figure.

Upon closer inspection, he realized the figures cloak was made of what could only be described as darkness. Pure glittering black, there was something misty swirling around in the fabric.

No matter how hard he looked at it, it didn't seem real. Like there was nothing there, but at the same time, it was there all the same.

The figure gave a light humorless laugh and turned around to face the ninja.

It was a pretty young girl, she didn't look older than 16. With sharp facial features, her irises were black. Inky black hair fell around her shoulders. And she was holding a long jagged dagger with a thin glowing purple line running along the edge.

"Subdue them." The girl said.

The two ninjas readied their weapons.

Fiends melted out from the darkness on either side of the girl and attacked.

They started melting out from everywhere. at first, there were a few, then there were a dozen, then there was a couple of dozen, they kept appearing until they were completely surrounded.

The more the ninja cut down, the more fiends appeared,

Out of the corner of his eye, Ryu saw a fiend holding the same jagged dagger that the girl had been holding. The demon was headed straight for Momiji, Her back was turned fending off a horde of fiends.

In an instant, he teleported next to Momiji. Standing back to back with her.

As the fiend thrust the blade forward, he used his own sword to deflect the blow-off to one side.

The blade cut a long thin line across his bicep. He then sliced downward severing the fiend's arm from its body. He sliced again upward cutting through it's underarm to its neck.

Immediately he sank to one knee. He felt light-headed and everything was spinning.

"Ryu!" He heard Momiji shouting, but it was foggy. Like she was talking on the other side of a window.

They were surrounded by fiends.

He could see Momiji was still fighting off fiends. Using ninpo arts to incinerate them, trying to keep the ever-growing mob of demons back.

She was standing next to him, Dragon Naginata in hand, keeping the waves of demons back.

Reaching down, she placed one hand along the cut left by the jagged dagger.

Murmuring something, a jolt went through Ryu's body and his head began to clear and he started to think straight again.

He got to his feet, gathering his ki. He summoned flaming phoenixes to encase a protective circle around him and Momiji.

"We need to get out of here." He shouted in her ear.

"But Ryu, the village..." Momiji shouted back. Her face was covered in soot and sweat from the fight.

Not waiting for her to finish the sentence, he grabbed her arm and they vanished in a swirl of wind.

They appeared standing in the middle of the wide-open bridge that connected the village to the temple.

Ryu stumbled slightly but caught himself before Momiji could notice.

"This isn't where I intended to teleport us to." He thought. He had meant to take them well outside the village.

"Ryu, are you alright..."

"We need to hurry," He said, not letting her finish once again.

He began to run towards the gates and out of the village. Momiji running along behind him.

The sun had set and the moon was out, illuminating the forest. They kept running well into the night.

He had intended to take them to the Mugen Tenshin clan, but his mind started clouding again. Everything becoming foggy. His senses dulled. He was slowing down. Momiji appeared under his arm helping support his weight.

They kept running until he blacked out.


	4. Chapter 3

\- Ryu -

When Ryu woke up, his head was spinning and his eyesight was blurry. He couldn't remember what had happened.

A fiery pain was coursing through his body. It felt like something was burning away within him.

His head was aching, he thought he could hear a voice coming from over him. Chanting.

The pain was starting to subside and his mind was beginning to cloud. As he started slipping into unconsciousness, the only thing he could make out was Momiji leaning over him.

He hoped she was safe.

Then he slipped into unconsciousness.

It was a dream.

He knew it was a dream, but it was a particularly vivid one.

Fire, screams, the sense of fear and panic. It was far too familiar. This was the time during the Dark Dragon Blade incident when the Hayabusa Village was massacred.

He was there, but it was as if he was watching from a distance. He could see the events as they unfold.

Himself racing through the village, his near-fatal encounter with Doku, Kureha's death.

He dreamed about it often. But this was as if he was there again. Regrets and rage, all the dark emotions that utterly consumed him at that time. He felt them again now.

The scene changed. He was training with Momiji.

He recognized this scene as well. It was when Momiji was kidnapped by Obaba. Those same dark emotions he had been suppressing started bubbling up again as he battled the Black Spider Clan in search of Momiji.

The overwhelming sense of fear and desperation he had felt. Sure he was about to lose another person close to him.

Even after he had defeated Obaba, the Ancient Fiends, Ishtaros and Nicchae, and rescued Momiji. The fear of losing her was still there. He had already failed too many people, he wasn't about to fail her as well.

The scene changed one more time, but this time it wasn't a memory.

He was standing in front of a pond, with a waterfall in back. In the middle of an unknown forest at night time. It was rather beautiful he thought.

He stood there, gazing at the waterfall. He couldn't move, he was rooted to the spot. So he just continued to stand there, for who knows how long.

When Ryu next awoke, he was laying in a bed in a little room. His body was stiff and numb like he hadn't moved in days.

His head was aching with the memories of the previous day and his dreams. The hooded girl that attacked the village, who was she? He sensed that power before but he still knew nothing about it.

As he sat up and the covers fell away, he noticed he wasn't wearing any clothing except for long black pants. They were light and comfortable, but he didn't know where they came from.

He wondered where Momiji was.

There was a neat bandage around his right bicep where the demon's blade had cut.

Presumably her work, he vaguely remembered her healing him while he was between consciousness.

Looking around the room. There wasn't much asides from a nightstand next to the bed, and a dresser next to a door on the opposing side of the room.

There was a window to one side, but he couldn't see anything out of it due to the blinds being drawn. He wondered where he was, what time was it?

He noticed a few small paintings adorning the wall; one depicting beautiful landscapes, another depicting a pond with surrounding wildlife.

Another painting was hanging next to the door. It depicted a beautiful young woman; with long black hair that fell over her shoulder. Sitting in a grassy meadow with a smiling young girl on her lap, she looked no older than four, she also had black hair, but short. The woman was holding another young girl in her arms.

As Ryu studied the painting, the door next to it opened and Momiji walked in, upon seeing Ryu awake and sitting up in bed her eyes widened slightly and she rushed to his side.

"Ryu! How do you feel?" She said placing a hand on his forehead to check his temperature.

"I am fine, are you alright? What happened?" Ryu said. Allowing her to check his pulse.

"I'm alright, don't worry," She said giving him a warm smile.

"Ryu, you've been unconscious for two days," She said, looking into his eyes and giving him a serious look.

"You were burning up one second, then shivering the next"

Her voice starting to shake.

"I did what I could to treat your wound and stabilize your condition. I thought I was going to lose you" She finished bowing her head.

He smiled slightly and placed a hand on her head, "Don't worry, you did a good job"

"But Ryu, that blade, your wound, I've never seen anything like it before," She said looking up. There were tears in her eyes.

"Your body is in perfect health, there's no poison, and that was such a minor cut. I don't understand what could affect you like this"

Ryu was wondering the same thing.

He was of the dragon lineage, trivial things such as poison have no effect on him. Much less knock him out for two days.

"Where are we?" He asked, changing the subject.

Momiji bit her bottom lip, giving him a scrutinizing look. "A cabin my parents used to own, It's not too far from the Mugen Tenshin clan"

"How far are we from Tokyo?" he asked

"About a half a days travel, why?"

"We need to head there now," He said, standing up from the bed. His legs were stiff from lying in bed.

"But what about the Mugen Tenshin clan?" Momiji said completely surprised. "What about your arm?"

His head started spinning a bit as he stretched and walked around the room. "We need to learn who that hooded girl was first. Where is my gear?"

"In the dresser, but Ryu you're in no condition to be..."

"Momiji, I'm fine," He said "I've been through a lot worse"

Opening the drawer he found his black ninja gear and began to get dressed.

"Ryu, you've been unconscious for days and..."

"And the more time we waste, the more lives we may be putting in danger," He said.

"Muramasa is currently in Tokyo, if anyone would know who she was, it would be him. After that, we can head to the Mugen Tenshin clan."

Momiji gave him a stubborn look. "Fine, but we can't go looking for a fight, we need to try and blend in"

Ryu gave her a critical look, in her ninja attire of red and gold, with long black boots and a naginata stapped to her back. The one thing she won't be doing is 'Blending in'.

"Alright then, how do you propose we do that"

"There's clothes in the other room, they were my parents but they should fit us"

With her long ponytail and pretty features, even in regular clothing, she was going to stand out. Ryu thought to himself. But it would probably be best to go along with her wishes and attempt to blend in.

"Fine, bring them. We'll change when we get there"

\- Momiji -

Standing on the roof of a tall office building, Momiji was looking out over Tokyo. It was late afternoon.

They were in a residential area on the outskirts of the center of the city. She had only been to this place a few times.

Streets crowded with people, shops and buildings everywhere, the bright lights. It was a completely different world from the Hayabusa village.

"We are only a few miles away from Muramasa shop, are you ready?"

Momiji turned around to look at Ryu.

He was wearing a tight fitting black t-shirt, leather jacket, and boots. his clothes were quite obviously too small, but they would have to do. His long hair tied into a ponytail falling behind him. It was a stark contrast to the black falcon gear she was used to seeing.

The modern clothes looked rather good on him, she thought.

Momiji was wearing a short black dress, that came up to her knees, with a flower design on it and a short leather jacket with boots. They fit rather comfortably.

She had brought the clothes in a duffle bag she had found in her parent's cabin.

That place she had spent countless summers with her now deceased family. It was bittersweet going back. But she didn't have another option on short notice.

"Yes, those clothes aren't too tight are they?" She replied.

"They are fine, I left our gear in an air duct on this roof. We need to get going before it gets dark"

Momiji nodded.

"Let's go"

Walking side by side down the street, they didn't encounter any trouble or draw any unwanted attention.

They looked like a normal couple out for a walk. However, this thought was making her somewhat uncomfortable. She could feel herself starting to flush.

She wasn't entirely sure how she felt about her Master. Sure he was really attractive, strong and reliable. But their relationship was that of teacher and student, she felt like there was an unspoken taboo there.

Also, she had known him since childhood, and she was never entirely sure of the relationship he had had with her sister.

Thinking about all of this did nothing but make her feel guilty so she pushed it all out of her mind.

"How far are we?" She asked

"Not far, the entrance to Sky City should be in another couple of blocks" Ryu replied

They continued walking down the street, past buildings and shops.

Finally, they reached a garden area, with Cherry Blossom Trees all around, a tranquil stream with a large bridge leading across. Just ahead was a staircase leading up into the Sky-walk.

As they walked up the stairs, Ryu stepped ahead

"Muramasa's shop should be right up here, on the left," He said.

Walking past a few more shops he finally stopped in front of a rundown looking shop, with antiques sitting out in the windows and a big sign that read 'Muramasa's'

Sliding the door open, he stepped into the shop; Momiji stepping in after him.

Upon entering the shop, Momiji noticed weapons and antiques adorning the wall. Jars sat on shelves pushed to the side of the room.

On the far side of the room, there was a counter, with a short man standing on a stool, rummaging around on a shelf behind the counter.

"Welcome, I will be with you in a moment," Muramasa said.

Turning around slightly the old shop keeper finally took notice of who walked into his shop.

"Ahh, Ryu, It's good to see you again. And Momiji too, Please have a seat, I will make you both some tea"

Heading straight to the counter, the two sat down.

"Thank you, but we can't stay for long," Ryu said. "The village was attacked and we need information"

"I see," Muramasa said. Sitting down opposite side of them, "I'm very sorry to hear that. What can I help you with?"

"The village was attacked by a young woman dressed in a black cloak, it seemed to made of darkness. And she controlled these fiends that I've never seen before. They seemed to be melting out of the darkness" Ryu said.

"Hmm" The old shop keeper pondered "That's a rather vague description. Is there anything else?"

"When I defeated Vazdah, I traveled down into the underworld. I felt something like the power this woman was radiating. It felt ancient" Ryu said.

"Flowers," Momiji said, cutting into the conversation. "These purple flowers were growing around where the woman was standing"

"What did the flower look like?"

"It looked like nightshade, but it was a single flower and it was large and the middle and stem were black, they were growing all around the village. It looked like they were sucking the life away from everything around it"

"Hmm," Muramasa said. Reaching under the counter he brought out a book.

'The history of the universe' was written on the cover.

"Your description of the flower..." He said opening the book.

"If my hunch is correct, this woman may relate to Gurdu and the beginning of time"

He began to read out loud.

"In the beginning, before Gurdu took control and shaped the universe as we know it, the universe was a void; an empty blackness. In that void ruled a primordial consciousness, the personification of darkness, Nyx. She had complete control over the universe, until a small inconsistency flowed through the universe finally forming Gurdu, the first deity. He formed this universe, he would add function and order to the swirling chaos and blackness. Thus creating a harmonic state. However, Nyx became aware of Gurdu's presence and became enraged, outside of Grudu's perfect universe, Nyx began to stir the darkness and the chaos for eons until the Demon, Vigoor was formed; the deity of destruction and evil."

"In the first conflict between Gurdu and Vigoor, Nyx would aid Vigoor. She formed a corporeal body. Appearing as a beautiful woman, dressed in robes, that shimmered with darkness. She would walk all over Gurdu's earth, leaving behind poisonous purple and black flowers. These flowers would suck the life force away from everything around them."

"When Vigoor was finally defeated by the thirteen dragons, and order was restored, it became hard for Nyx's corporeal body to retain a consciousness. And she was thrown into the hellish underworld by the Dragons."

Muramasa closed the book and set it down on the table.

"It is possible that when Ryu defeated Vazduh, it may have caused Nyx's corporeal body to regain some consciousness again. Vazduh was a descendant of Vigoor after all. How old did this woman look, how was she dressed?"

"No more than sixteen," Ryu said. "And she was wearing a simple long black cloak. It was glittering black, but it looked like it was swirling with mist."

"Then it's my guess that she's still weakened, records on Nyx are very minimal but they state that she appeared as a fully matured woman with grand and luxurious robes, glittering of pure darkness."

"The villagers," Momiji said. "Our clan's ninja were all missing, but the villagers were slaughtered. Do you know if that means anything?"

"I am sorry my dear, there's very little written about Nyx. If that's truly who you are dealing with"

Ryu stood up and bowed to Muramasa.

"Thank you for all your help, we must be going"

Ryu turned around to head out the door.

"Master Ryu! Wait a moment" Momiji called after him.

Turning back around to face Muramasa. She said: "Ryu was cut by a weapon that woman was holding. It wasn't a deep cut but it rendered him unconscious for several days. And when I looked, there was nothing wrong with him physically. Do you know what could have done that?"

"Let me have a look," He said.

Ryu gave Momiji an annoyed look, but sat back down and removed his jacket.

Momiji began to undo his bandage.

Walking around the counter, Muramasa sat next to Ryu to look at the cut.

It was a thin cut across his bicep, It just barely broke the skin. However the skin around the cut was turning gray, and there was a dull purple tint.

His expression changed and he gave the wound a dark look. "How long did you say Ryu was unconscious for?" He asked.

"Two days. He was running a high fever one second the shivering the next."

"Ryu" Muramasa said sharply "did you experience any burning sensations?"

"Yes," Ryu replied.

"Did you experience any visions or dreams?"

Ryu's expression was unreadable.

"Yes"

"What did the blade look like?" Muramasa said turning back to face Momiji.

"It was black, with a jagged purple edge" She replied.

"...This could be serious" He said grimly turning back to look at Ryu.

"It's no wonder you couldn't find anything physically wrong"

"Why? What's wrong with him" Momiji said urgently.

"Physically, nothing... That cut, the blade... It's burning away his soul"


	5. Chapter 4

\- Ryu -

Walking back through Sky City, Ryu's head was starting to ache again.

Muramasa had given him a life elixir before they left. He said it would help strengthen and protect his mind, soul, and body. But it didn't seem to be working all that well.

The sensation of something burning away inside his body was still present, however, it had lessened at least.

His headache had been mild all throughout the journey to Tokyo and the conversation with Muramasa. He suspected it might be flaring up again due to the fact Momiji was currently burning a hole in the back of his head with her stare.

Ryu knew about his soul before Muramasa had said anything. He had seen blades like the one that woman was holding. Seen it's effect, burning away a person's soul in a matter of minutes. He was only still standing here because he was of the dragon lineage. But even that had its limits, If the cut had been any deeper he probably wouldn't be standing here.

They hadn't spoken a word as they walked back to the office building they had left their gear at.

It was late at night, however, the city lights were blinding. He had never particularly enjoyed the city, It was loud and in your face. It was such a stark contrast to the peaceful life at the Hayabusa village.

The streets weren't crowded, however. Only a few couples walked on the sidewalk, walking arm and arm. Earlier when he and Momiji had been walking to Muramasa's; side by side, He had fleeting thought they probably looked like the other couples out. Now however... He probably just looked like a guy with a very angry girl stalking him.

It was starting to rain, Ryu could feel light raindrops hitting his head.

"You knew... Didn't you?" Momiji finally said, breaking the silence.

"Mm"

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

"It isn't important now"

"It's your fucking soul, Ryu. it is important now"

He stopped and turned to face her. "There isn't anything you or I could do about it, and we needed to get information." He said. "I am of the dra..."

"The dragon lineage, yes I'm aware. But that doesn't give you a free pass for everything."

"The village was destroyed, and we don't know what it is that woman wants. We can't waste any more time."

"So pushing until your soul burns away completely is your way of solving the problem?"

"I'm not crippled."

They continued to argue as they walked down the street.

They were too busy arguing with one another to notice there wasn't anyone else on the street, no cars, no people. And the electronic lights, billboards, lamps were all starting to dim or flicker off completely.

Suddenly something came flying at Momiji's face.

Ryu caught it inches away from her face. Effectively cutting her off mid-sentence.

Looking at the object in his hand. It looked like a long black claw, made up of a shimmering dark substance. Tossing it aside, he spun around. Fiends were melting out of the darkness on either side of them.

They were completely surrounded.

\- Momiji -

Thunder was rumbling overhead.

"I hate the rain" Momiji muttered. She was standing back to back with Ryu; the previous light sprinkle of rain was starting to turn into a heavy downpour.

Fiends were enclosing around them, more than a dozen of them. Inky black creatures with barely defined features and sharp talons for hands. They looked like the same demons that had attacked the Village. However, they were radiating a far more powerful aura than the ones at the village had been.

The demon's were all carrying various weapons. Momiji didn't much like the idea of facing all of them empty-handed, especially not with Ryu in his current state.

She wanted to yell at him some more for not telling her. But that was going to have to wait.

The group of demons were closing in around them slowly, they seemed to be hesitant to attack them.

Back to back with Ryu, she could sense him gathering his ki and immediately knew what he wanted to do. Folding her hand in front of her she did the same.

As they began to chant, energy started swirling around them.

The fiends started shrieking and launched themselves at the two.

Before the first demon could get within three feet of them, they released their ki into a powerful ninpo. The energy circling around them imploded in an explosion of fire, incinerating the demon's and melting everything within the vicinity.

The pavement was cracked, the surrounding shops were on fire, cars were overturned and burning.

"We have to go," Momiji said, and they took off in the direction of their gear.

Running through the city, Momiji noticed that she didn't see anyone out. The typically busy streets were completely empty. On top of that, the blaring city lights seemed to be dimming. Street lamps were either flickering or completely off, shop lights were going out, the giant luminous billboards and neon signs were only glowing faintly.

The fast-pace in your face city of Tokyo was dead.

"Where did everyone go..?" Momiji wondered aloud.

When she didn't get an answer, she turned to see Ryu was trailing behind her. He was breathing heavily, that spell must have taken far more of his energy than she had realized. She wanted to kick herself, but she wanted to kick him even more.

Falling back a few steps, she ducked under his arm to help support his weight. Placing her free hand on his chest, she began to siphon energy into his body.

"We're almost there," she said in his ear.

"Hm," He panted in acknowledgment.

He was in really bad shape. She had never seen him like this before, he was always the solid, unrelenting force that was the Dragon Ninja. He could do anything, solve any problem, get out of any situation. He had saved her many times.

Now they were both soaking wet, struggling through the streets of Tokyo.

Finally, they reached the building where they had left their gear; a standard 4 story office building. Teleporting to the top would be a simple matter.

Before she knew what had happened, she had been struck from behind. The force of the blow sent both her and Ryu flying.

She landed in the middle of the street, Ryu on the roof of a car parked a few feet away from her. leaving a sizable dent.

Quickly she jumped to her feet, her head was spinning.

The thing that had attacked them was a giant creature with the body of a woman, with four long crab-like legs. It had the same shimmering black skin as the previous demons they fought. It had no defined features other than two tiny beady red eyes and a gigantic mouth that reach across its entire face. Thin, sharp, dagger-like teeth were protruding out of its mouth. a thin curtain of greasy black hair hung around its face.

It let out a horrible shrieking wail and began to charge at the two.

"Master, get out weapons, I'll hold the demon off," Momiji shouted as she gathered her ki; folding her hands in front of her and forming a fireball.

"I will not leave..."

"Go! We need our weapons."

She launched the fireball at the demon and disappeared in a swirl. She teleported behind the demon. As expected, her attack had little effect on it. But she did manage to get within its guard. Fighting a demon like this empty-handed was going to be difficult, the best she was going to be able to do was stall the creature until Ryu got back with their weapons.

She aimed a powerful kick at one of it's back legs. As expected, the demon's skin was extremely tough, a kick that would effectively shatter bone, barely did anything. She did manage to get it's attention however.

Shirking the demon turned around to face Momiji. She noticed the demon was rather clumsy in close quarters, she could use this to her advantage.

Raising its front leg, the demon brought it down in a powerful attack, Stepping forward Momiji dashed under the demon, avoiding it's attack, The pavement cracked behind her, where she had been standing.

Leaping up, she jumped onto the demon's back. Wrapping her arm around its neck, she locked it in and headlock and began to squeeze, attempting to restrict it's airflow. She realized her mistake too late. The demon's skin was just as tough on it's upper body as it was on it's legs.

Grabbing her arm, the demon flipped Momiji off it's back; throwing her on the ground.

She landed on her feet and instinctively rolled backwards, barely avoiding the demon's leg coming down. Cracking the pavement where she had just been.

She engulfed her hand in flames and launched herself in a powerful attack aimed at the demon's face. Before she could reach her target, the demon grabbed her by the neck. Catching her mid-jump.

She struggled and kicked but it was no use, the demon had her in a death grip.

It was restricting her airflow like she had tried to do to it. Her mind was starting to get fuzzy, her eyesight going dark. The only thing she could see was the demon's gigantic teeth, slowly getting closer.

Suddenly a sword burst through the demon's head, splattering Momiji with blood. It's grip loosened and she dropped to the ground; coughing.

Ryu was on It's back, Dragon Sword in hand. Her own naginata strapped to his back. In one quick slice, he removed it's head. It wobbled dangerously for a moment, blood squirting from the stump where it's head had been. Then it toppled to the ground.

"We have to go." He said, jumping off the demon's back. walking over to Momiji, he offered her his hand. The bag with their gear swung over his back.

"Thank you," she said hoarsely accepting his hand.

He sheathed his sword and handed her the naginata. He was still wearing the leather jacket and jeans, along with the sword strapped to his back it was an odd combination.

"Nyx is here, I can sense her. We need to be quick, we can change when we're at a safe distance."

She had guessed as much. The fiends, the missing people. It was too much like the attack on the village.

"Muramasa will he be..?"

"He'll be fine, he can take care of himself. We need to worry more about ourselves right now."

And with that Ryu took off, Momiji following closely behind.

They ran until they were out of the city. Back in the forest, they headed towards the Mugen Tenshin clan. They ran until daybreak, finally stopping to rest for a few hours in a small clearing with a little stream next to it.

Ryu sat down leaned up against a large oak tree, Momiji sat next to him. Reaching out she placed one hand on his forehead. He closed his eyes at her touch. He was burning up.

"How are you feeling?" She asked

"Fine, I just need to rest for a few hours and I'll be fine."

Biting her lower lip, she placed her hands on his firm chest and began to siphon energy between them.

Within a few minutes, his breath evened out as he slipped into unconsciousness. She sighed and leaned up against a tree, she would wake him in a few hours.

\- Ryu -

Ryu was standing in front of a pond, the water was glittering under the moonlight. There was a waterfall at the far end.

He could see a shimmering silhouette through the waterfall, there was someone behind it, he was sure.

He took a step forward and wasn't at all surprised to find he could walk on water as if it was solid earth. He walked over to the waterfall.

As he approached, the waterfall parted for him. He walked through and entered a cave, moonlight was shining through a large crack on the ceiling.

Illuminated in that moonlight there was a girl. Standing with her back turned to him.

He stood there watching the girl. He knew if he tried to take a step forward he would not be able to, so he just watched.

Hours might have passed by, or it might have been a few moments. However long it was his eyes never left the girl.

"Master Ryu?"

Ryu opened his eyes, Momiji was standing over him. It was mid-day, the sun was high in the sky.

"We should get going." She said, she had changed out of the dress and back into her usual ninja attire. He only just now realized he was still wearing the wet, torn, clothes from yesterday.

Standing up, he stretched and walked over to the stream. Pealing off the clothes, he washed his face and upper-body. The cool water felt good on his skin, he was still burning up.

Quickly changing into his black ninja attire, he and Momiji set out towards the Mugen Tenshin clan.

It was a peaceful day, the air was cool and the sun was shining through the trees; warming their skin. On any other day, Ryu would enjoy a day like this. But he was still weak from exhausting his energy. And he couldn't stop thinking about that dream.

He felt like he should recognize the girl, but he couldn't figure it out. He couldn't even remember what she was wearing. The only thing he could remember was this comforting familiar feeling. He wanted to know the meaning behind this recurring dream, or why he was having it in the first place.

They walked in silence all the way to the clan. Ryu could tell Momiji was still angry at him for not telling her about his condition right away. But his priority was to the Hayabusa village. They didn't have time to waste on something they both knew had no cure.

He had a feeling the village hadn't been completely massacred, and if that was the case he was going to save everyone he could, and avenge those that had died.

Upon reaching the outskirts of the Mugen Tenshin clan, two of the clan's ninja dropped out of a tree and approached Ryu and Momiji. The two ninja bowed respectfully.

"We have been waiting for you, Master Ryu." One of the ninjas said, removing his mask. He was middle-aged and Ryu recognized him as being one of the clan's elders.

"Some of your clan's members arrived a few days ago."

So there had been other survivors, that news was a relief to Ryu.

"We thank the Mugen Tenshin clan for offering it's refuge." He said, bowing.

"Take me to Hayate. There are some things we need to discuss."


	6. Chapter 5

\- Momiji -

Momiji had never been to the Mugen Tenshin clan before, she was curious about the famed ninja clan.

The clan elder, who had introduced himself as Hiroshi escorted her and Ryu through the forest until they came out on a clearing overlooking a large narrow canyon; a waterfall cascaded into a river some fifty feet below. There was an ancient but sturdy-looking bridge crossing the gap; more dense forest waited for them on the other side.

Hiroshi lead them across the bridge and onto a narrow path. They walked, single file through the forest for a good five minutes. Momiji following behind the older ninja closely, Ryu right behind her, bringing up the rear. She began to wonder how remote this clan's location was exactly.

The path began to widen, finally, the dense brush broke and lead out under a huge cliff. The edge of the path overlooked a large open valley with beautiful grassy meadows.

It was mid-day and the sun was high in the cloudless sky. A light breeze rippled through the meadows, and the light reflected off a lake in the distance. The sight was so beautiful Momiji stopped to stare.

Hiroshi noticed her reaction, he smiled. "The Hayabusa village doesn't offer a view like that does it."

Walking a short distance, the path started sloping upwards along the cliff. They continued along the path until they neared the top. Eventually, they came up on a cave in the side of the cliff; they were lead inside. Dimly lit by torches, there was a narrow set of stairs carved into the stone, they walked up them single file.

Walking up the stairs for a couple of minutes, they came out in another cave. This one large and the mouth was only a few feet from them.

Exiting the cave, they followed the path into more forest area. This one, however, wasn't nearly as dense as the last. Momiji could see a large gate up ahead, with two ten-foot guard towers on opposite sides and a surrounding wall. The gates opened as they approached.

"Welcome to the Mugen Tenshin clan," Hiroshi said. Extending his arm in welcome.

It was like a city. They were in the middle of a huge bustling circle. People crowded the street. shops and stalls all around. The scene reminded Momiji of Tokyo. She didn't know what she expected the ninja clan to be like, but this wasn't it.

Ryu smiled, seemingly knowing what she was thinking. "Missing the peaceful village life?"

"It's so big... How many people live here?"

"Some thousands, but the actual ninja clans are much smaller than that. Come on, we're being left."

Momiji looked up and saw Hiroshi was waving at them, he had already started down one of the crowded lanes branching out from the main circle. Ryu took her hand, so they wouldn't lose each other and followed the older ninja. She hoped no one noticed the faint blush creeping up her neck.

They weaved through the crowd. Buildings stood on either side of the road, varieties of different vendors were selling a range of products, from fresh produce to baked goods, to trinkets, to weapons.

One woman stopped Momiji and tried to sell her luxurious jewelry, but Ryu pulled her along before the woman could drag her into her shop.

The further they progressed, the crowd started thinning. Until the rows of buildings ended in what looked like an inn. There was a road behind the inn connecting the other streets, Hiroshi had taken them through the central street, there was one on either side with even more shops and vendors.

"Just up ahead," Hiroshi said. "The meeting hall for all the clan's factions is just up ahead."

"Factions?" Momiji questioned.

"The Mugen Tenshin clan is divided into two factions," Ryu said. "The Tenjinmon and the Hajinmon, Hayate is the leader of the Tenjinmon, the most prominent and forefront faction of the clan. Ayane is the head ninja of the Hajinmon, their numbers are fewer but they are every bit as deadly. The clan is governed by a group of twelve masters."

Momiji was familiar with both Hayate and Ayane, although she had never met them in person. She had never met anyone from the clan actually.

Crossing the road, they were in what looked like a residential area. A few rows of houses lined the street, replacing the shops. Sitting on a hill was a wide single-story temple. The road lead up to a set of intricately carved steps leading up to a large gate with a surrounding eight-foot white stone wall. Red shingles lined the top of the wall and gate.

The temple reminded Momiji very much of the one at the Hayabusa village. They walked up the short set of steps, Hiroshi opened the gate and they entered the courtyard.

"Master Hayate should be right inside, he'll be waiting for you. I must return to my post now," He said, bowing.

"Thank you for your hard work," Ryu said. They walked up to the main temple entrance, stepping onto a wooden deck, Ryu slid the door open and they stepped inside.

The main hall of the temple was a simple room, the walls were plain, with only a few decorative hangings adorning them. Two hallways lead off into more of the temple on either side of the room. The building was square-shaped, with an open courtyard and garden in the middle.

A door was open at the far side of the room, Momiji could see out into the courtyard, beautiful garden beds and cherry blossoms were in full bloom. There was a small pond in the center with a large maple tree overlooking it.

Hayate was standing in the middle of the room, speaking to two ninja's dressed head to toe in black gear, masks covered their faces and they had short close-cropped black hair. When he noticed who had entered, he said something to the two ninjas, they bowed to him and exited through the open door.

"It is good to see you unharmed my friend," He said smiling, walking over to greet his guests. "What happened? Omitsu, along with a group of others arrived at the clan a few days ago. She said the Hayabusa village was attacked, but she didn't have any details."

"The village was attacked by someone we think is called Nyx," Ryu said, skipping straight to business. "She bore the appearance and traits of the primordial being from legend."

"Hmm, I'm not too familiar with the story of Nyx," Hayate said as if this was an everyday occurrence. If he was at all surprised by what Ryu had said, he didn't show it. "What do you think she could have wanted?"

"I'm not..."

"Master Ryu was wounded," Momiji said bluntly, interrupting the conversation. Hayate looked at her, this time he did look surprised.

"It's not what's important right now," Ryu said, giving her a sharp look.

"Master Ryu was cut by a dagger that woman was holding," She said, completely ignoring Ryu and speaking directly to Hayate. "It was a cursed blade, and it's searing away his soul. Can you help?"

Hayate was silent for a second, his surprised expression turning serious once he saw the bandage on Ryu's arm.

"Is that true?" He asked.

Ryu didn't reply.

Hayate sighed, he turned and gave Momiji a warm smile. "Thank you for telling me, I'm sure Ryu would have conveniently forgotten to mention it until he had collapsed."

Momiji grinned, "And then told you he was alright."

"Yes," Hayate said laughing. "You must be Momiji, I've heard a lot about you but we haven't been properly introduced. I am Hayate, the current leader of the Mugen Tenshin clan."

"It is an honor, Master Hayate,"

"Now that you are acquainted," Ryu interjected, "I need to speak to Hayate... alone. Go check on Omitsu and the others."

After a few seconds glaring contest between the two. She finally relented and did what he asked.

"It was a pleasure meeting you," she said to Hayate.

She walked out of the temple in a huff. Ryu didn't usually leave her out of things, especially not anything important like battle strategy. She wondered what could be so important that he had to speak to Hayate privately about it. She was becoming increasingly more irritated with her master's stubbornness. She didn't understand why he was so hell-bent on ignoring a serious injury.

She walked back through the temple courtyard, down the stairs and started through the residential area. She was lost in thought and wasn't paying too much attention to what she was doing or where she was going, not even when she entered the open-air market and started fighting through the crowd.

There must be something more going on with Ryu, that was the only thing she could come up with. His priority was to the village, she knew that. But this reckless behavior and complete disregard for his own health wasn't like him.

Momiji contemplated what could be behind her master's odd behavior until she looked up and noticed she was standing in the huge crowded circle again. She had been so deep in her own thoughts she had forgotten what she was originally supposed to be doing. She hadn't even asked where to find Omitsu and the other villagers.

She was just about to ask one of the vendors for help when a pretty young woman approached her. She was wearing a blue kimono, with flowers embordered on it. Her striking orange-brown hair was tied back in a ponytail.

"Do you need some help?" She asked, "Forgive me, but I haven't seen you before and you seem lost."

"Yes, thank you," Momiji said gratefully. "I'm trying to find a woman named Omitsu, she's arrived here from the Hayabusa village a few days ago."

The girl considered for a moment, "I think I remember seeing her at the training ground awhile ago, Would you like me to take you there?"

"Yes, please," Momiji said, smiling at the girl.

She began walking back in the direction of the temple, Momiji following behind.

"Thank you for the help, my name is Momiji."

The girl gave her a warm smile. "My name is Kasumi, Welcome to the Mugen Tenshin clan."

Momiji knew who Kasumi was of course, but she didn't expect to meet her here. The last she had known she had been on the run from her former clan. But that didn't seem to be the case anymore.

Kasumi lead her through the market, weaving easily through the crowd. When they reached the inn and the road connecting the main streets, they took a left and headed along the residential area. The road lead up to the large city wall. There was an arch in the wall when a guard standing nearby. The guard bowed respectfully as they walked past.

The path lead back into the forest for a short way.

"It's right up here," Kasumi said.

The forest gave way to a large open field, with a small single-story dojo in front. The door was open and Momiji could see there was someone already inside. Kasumi took her inside the small building.

There was a girl with short purple hair, dressed in all black ninja gear beating on a wooden dummy. When she noticed the two, she stopped what she was doing and whipped the sweat from her face.

"Who is this?" the girl asked Kasumi.

"This is Momiji, she came here with Master Ryu," Kasumi said. "Momiji, this is Ayane."

"It's nice to meet you," Momiji said. So she met Kasumi and Ayane as well as Hayate. The Mugen Tenshin's three of the most prominent ninja.

"We're looking for Omitsu, have you seen her?" Kasumi said, "I thought I saw her over here earlier this morning."

"You just missed her," Ayane said. She turned to Momiji.

"So you came here with Master Ryu, huh?"

"Yes," Momiji replied.

"You're his apprentice right?"

"Yes"

"You're the only person he's ever personally trained right?"

"Yes"

"He's been training you since the dark dragon blade incident right? Would you care to spar?"

"Ayane! Don't interrogate her, there's no need to bring up such topics." Kasumi snapped.

"I'm sorry for her," She said. "She has a great deal of respect for Master Ryu."

"It's alright," Momiji said, "Actually I have a question for you both as well."

"What is it?"

Momiji was a little bit abashed, "I'm sorry but the last thing I heard you were on the run from your clan and you were ordered to assassinate her," She said pointing at the half-sisters. "How is it that you are in the Mugen Tenshin clan?"

Kasumi smiled, "I've only just recently been forgiven for abandoning my clan, It helps when your brother is the clan leader."

Ayane went back to beating on the training dummy. Apparently getting bored with the conversation.

"Since Omitsu isn't here right now, I would like to take you up on your offer," Momiji said to her.

She had only spared against Ryu, this could be a good opportunity to test her skills against someone from another clan. Plus she was still irritated and was itching for a good fight.

Ayane's eyes lit up and she smirked. "Excellent, now this is getting interesting."

The two kunoichi bowed to each other and began to spar.

\- Ryu -

"You'll have to tell her eventually," Hayate said, watching Momiji as she walked out of the temple.

Ryu did not reply. "Is there somewhere we can talk"

"Follow me,"

Hayate lead Ryu down the hall and into a room on the side. It was a modest-sized room with a window in back looking out into the center courtyard. The walls were decorated with paintings of various landscapes. There was a desk sitting in the middle of the room, a bookshelf and padded bench sat against the wall.

Hayate crossed the room and sat down behind the desk, he gestured for Ryu to have a seat. And he did, in a chair opposite Hayate.

"We need..." Ryu began.

"Your apprentice is right. You should pay more attention to your health." Hayate said, giving Ryu a serious look.

"There's nothing to be done about it. You know as well as I do there's no way to cure this curse."

"You could still prolonge it, exerting yourself only weakens your soul faster,"

"Nyx needs to be dealt with immediately, we cannot allow her to get any stronger."

"How long would you say you have?" Hayate said, disregarding his statement. "You're strong and your lineage will certainly help,"

Ryu had no answer.

"If you had been treated immediately and not unnecessarily exerted yourself like I'm sure you did, you could probably have been able to live another couple years." Hayate continued,

"So how long do you think you have now? A few months? A few weeks? A few days?"

Ryu still didn't reply. Hayate was getting increasingly more irritated with his friend.

"And when the curse eventually burns your soul away completely, then what? How do you think your apprentice will feel? How about your father and the village? Hell, what about me?"

"What's done is done," Ryu said quietly.

"How did this even happen? I can't believe you would let your guard down against anything with a weapon like that."

"They were going for Momiji."

Hayate sighed, all his momentary anger draining away "At least take some health elixir."

"I will, thank you for the concern and sorry for the trouble."

Hayate grumbled something. "So what was it that you didn't want to say in front of your apprentice?"

"I have a theory on what Nyx could be after and why she targeted the village,"

"I'm listening"

"First, how much do you know about her?"

"Not a lot I'm afraid, I just know she was the deity before Gurdu and she aided Vazduh."

"That's the gist of the story," Ryu said. "When the thirteen dragons defeated Vazduh, they threw her into the deepest part of the underworld."

"When the youngest of the thirteen dragons became corrupt by envy towards his brethren, he waged war against and defeated his siblings." Ryu continued. "The remaining twelve dragons crafted the Dragon Sword and the Eye of the Dragon from their essence and spiritual power, bestowing it on a human warrior so that he could have the power to defeat the Dark Dragon."

"So what? Do you think she's after the Dragon Sword?" Hayate asked.

"More likely the Eye of the Dragon, without the eye the Dragon Sword is just a sword," Ryu said. "The twelve dragons descended from Gurdu, she could still be holding onto a grudge."

"Where is the eye? What can she even use it for?"

"That I do not know. As for where it is, Momiji has it," Ryu said. "Nyx will have to get to Momiji if she wants the Eye."

"Which brings me to the main point. First, can I count on the Mugen Tenshin clan for aid?"

"Of course," Hayate said nodding.

"Good, then we need to prepare. Also, when the time comes to deal with Nyx, Momiji will not be joining us."

Hayate sighed, "I expected you to say something like that, you know she's not going to like that."

"It's for the best," Ryu said stubbornly. Hayate knew there was no arguing.

"Kasumi is back in the village, and Ayane is always raring for a fight," He said. "I notified Rachel that we might need her assistance, she's currently on standby..."

Suddenly the door slid open. A tall woman dressed in black battle gear walked in. her long blond hair was wrapped in a ponytail, her beautiful features didn't match her devilish appearance.

"Actually she's present," Rachel said

Hayate jumped to his feet to greet his guest. "Rachel! it's good to see you."

Ryu also got up to greet his friend. "I assume you are already aware of Nyx?" She was a fiend hunter after all.

Rachel surveyed him. "I could sense the power of a greater fiend getting stronger, yes. You look like shit, what happened?"

Hayate filled her in on Ryu's situation. Rachel rolled her eyes. "That sounds like something he would do."

They all sat down, Rachel taking Ryu's seat. She crossed her legs and leaned back in the chair. Hayate back around the desk and Ryu on the padded bench against the wall.

"So you said this fiend's name is Nyx?" Rachel asked.

"Yes," Ryu said. "Are you familiar with her?"

"I can't say that I am," Rachel said unconcerned, "She's a goddess or something right? I think I have run into a few cultists that mentioned something about awakening her."

Ryu gave Rachel the same story he had just told Hayate.

Rachel considered for a moment. "She could be trying to rid the world of humans, there has been reports of people going missing in Tokyo."

"A lot of the villagers seemingly disappeared too, at least we couldn't find any bodies."

"She could be trying to plunge the world into chaos," Rachel mused, she was checking her nails and had a supremely unconcerned air about her. "Frankly, I don't care what she's after."

Ryu grinned in spite of himself. He always found Rachel's blunt, unfiltered personality refreshing.

"We should begin planning as soon as possible," He said.

The door slid open for a second time. "Ryu!" Omitsu said, walking in. "I just heard you were at the clan."

"Omitsu, it's good to see you unharmed," Ryu said, getting up to greet his former teacher. "Did Momiji come find you?"

"No I haven't seen her, I'm so glad she is unharmed, I knew she must be with you when I didn't see her."

That wasn't like her, Ryu thought. When he asked her to do something she would do it, no matter how much she didn't want to.

"I got everyone out I could, a lot of the women and children." Omitsu continued.

"Omitsu, did you see my father."

"Jo? No, I thought he might've been with you,"

That had been bothering Ryu for awhile. He hadn't seen his father for a few days prior to the attack. It wasn't unusual for him to spend a few days in seclusion, so no one had questioned it. He thought his father might have found his way to the Mugen Tenshin clan when he found the village in ruins. But what if something had happened to him as well.

"You should get some rest, Ryu," Hayate said. "Rachel and I will start the panning, I'll see what else I can find out about Nyx and we can continue this conversation tomorrow. You and Momiji can stay in one of the guest rooms in this temple."

Ryu bowed and walked out of the room. "And remember to take health elixir," Hayate called after him.

"Health elixir?" Omitsu questioned.

"I'll tell you about it later," Ryu said.

"I'm going to go find Momiji, We'll both come by and check on you and the villagers later this evening."

He bid farewell to Omitsu and headed straight for the training ground. He had a feeling he knew where Momiji had gotten to.

As he approached the dojo, the door was open and he could see there were indeed people training inside. He had suspected as much, Momiji liked to train she was irritated.

Momiji was sparing with Ayane. The two kunoichi were evenly matched, while Ayane fought with a fury of quick jabs, Momiji maintained a reasonable distance, and attacked with strong solid blows.

Kasumi noticed him first, "Hello, Master Ryu, It's been a while."

"It has Kasumi, how have you been"

Their conversation had drawn the attention of the other two. "Master Ryu!" Ayane said in surprise.

"I'm great, Ryu, as you can see I'm back home," Kasumi said happily.

"It's good to see you again Master Ryu, I've gotten much stronger since the last time we fought," Ayane said, walking over.

Momiji leaned against a wall, not joining in the conversation. It was safe to assume she was still mad at him.

"I'm sure you have, I saw a bit of your sparring match with my apprentice, you've improved greatly"

"If you don't mind, would you care for a match? I would like to test my skills against you," Ayane said.

"I would like to as well actually," Kasumi said, "I can't remember the last time we sparred."

Ryu looked to the girl's expectant faces, then to Momiji who was watching the conversation in the corner. He knew he shouldn't be exerting himself, but a little sparring match shouldn't be a problem.

"I have an idea," Ayane said, "How about Kasumi and I vs you and Momiji, two vs two."


	7. Chapter 6

\- Momiji -

"Alright then," Ryu said, much to Momiji's surprise. She didn't think he would accept.

"Master Ryu, I don't think..."

"Come on, Momiji, It will be fine." He said.

"Shouldn't we go check on Omitsu and the other villagers?"

"I've already seen Omitsu, She's fine and so are the other villagers."

Out of arguments, she followed along as they all walked out of the dojo.

Momiji wasn't sure if she liked this idea. While there was no doubt in her mind Ryu could take on both Ayane and Kasumi, that was under normal circumstances. Ryu hid it well, but she could tell his condition had only gotten worse.

Standing in the open field outside the dojo, the ninjas bowed to each other and began to spar.

Ayane immediately targeted Ryu, leaving Momiji to deal with Kasumi.

Kasumi dashed at her with a shoulder strike faster than anything she had ever seen. Momiji just barely managed to block the attack. She crossed her arms in front of her, stopping the strike inches from her face. She stumbled backwards a few steps. Kasumi used this opportunity to grab her wrist, striking Momiji in the stomach and dashing behind her.

Momiji stumbled back a few steps clutching her ribs. Kasumi was indeed a formidable opponent. She looked over to see how Ryu was doing. He held his ground against Ayane's fury of attacks, but it was quite obvious he was being overwhelmed.

Before Momiji had to chance to think about assisting her master, Kasumi was on the attack again.

Dashing forward once again, Kasumi launched herself at Momiji, Bringing her knee up and aiming it at Momiji's head. This time she was ready for her. Grabbing Kasumi's knee and using her own momentum, she threw her to the ground. Kasumi jumped to her feet quickly recovering. This time Momiji went on the offensive.

She ran forward, latching on to Kasumi's wrist. Stepping on her knee and hopping on to her shoulders, she put Kasumi in a headlock between her thighs. Shifting her weight forward she sent her toppling forward. Landing on her hands she did a tight roll sending Kasumi flying over her. Completing the roll and popping up on her feet, she saw Kasumi do a quick flip in mid-fall and land on her feet.

Glancing over, she was surprised to see Ryu on one knee, covered in sweat and breathing heavy. Ayane standing over him looking just as surprised. She had never expected to win with this little effort before. Momiji cursed under her breath.

"Master Ryu?" Kasumi asked hesitantly.

"I'll be... fine... In a... few... minutes," He huffed.

"We're still tired from our trip here, we had to do a lot of fighting with little rest," Momiji said, she was trying to save her master some embarrassment.

Kasumi and Ayane exchanged looks. "I think it's best if we call it a day for now," Kasumi said.

"Yes," Momiji said quickly. "Master Ryu and I will go get some rest,"

Ayane and Kasumi bid them farewell and headed back to the clan. Momiji stayed behind while Ryu caught his breath.

"It's getting worse isn't it?" She asked after a few moments.

"No, I'm just tired, we did do a lot of fighting after all,"

"This isn't funny,"

"I know, I didn't mean to worry you," Ryu said, getting up.

He pulled her into his arms. "It's going to be fine," He said gently, stroking her hair.

She closed her eyes, she could hear his steady heartbeat. "Just please take care of yourself."

They stayed like that for a few minutes, "We should head back and check on the villagers," She said pulling away.

They headed in the direction of the clan. "Did Master Hayate know anything more about Nyx?" Momiji asked.

"No, he didn't know much more than us. We'll be spending the night at the temple so he and I can discuss it further," He said. "Rachel is here as well. She'll be helping out."

Momiji was happy at this news, she hadn't seen her fiend hunter friend in a while. And the more people fighting Nyx would mean less strain on her Ryu.

When they got back to the clan wall, two people were waiting for them. One of the clan's shrine maidens, and Rachel.

"Well if it isn't the little shrine maiden," Rachel said, smiling.

Momiji smile as well. "Rachel, it's good to see you," She said embracing her friend.

"Master Ryu, I was sent by Master Hayate to escort you to your fellow clan member," the shrine maiden said, bowing to Ryu.

"You catch up with Rachel, I'll check on the villagers," He said to Momiji

Ryu followed the shrine maiden as she lead him through the residential area of the clan.

"We'll be sharing a room," Rachel said as they started walking back to the temple.

"How have you been? It's been so long," Momiji asked.

"Oh, the usual," She said, waving a hand airily. "What about you? What happened to you the last few days? I only got a vague idea from Ryu."

Momiji gave a detailed run down the last couple of days. Including a short rant about Ryu's injury and stubborn refusal to not make it any worse. "You don't know any way if curing him do you?" She asked.

Rachel pursed her lips. "No, I don't..."

"...Is there a way to cure him?" She asked hesitantly.

"I think that's something you should talk to Ryu more about,"

Momiji had a sinking feeling in her stomach, She would have to talk with Ryu this evening.

\- Ryu -

The shrine maiden escorted Ryu to a small villa on the outskirts of the city wall. Omitsu greeted him as he entered, the building was much like a downsized version of the temple. With hallways leading out on either side and a courtyard In the middle.

A bunch of kids were playing games out in the courtyard. He could see Sanji and Sakura among them. He was glad to know they were safe.

"It's good to see you, Ryu,"

Ryu turned around to see Muramasa. He figured he would make it out of Tokyo.

"Muramasa it is good to see you well,"

"I trust you are doing your best to take care of yourself?" Muramasa said with a pointed look.

"Of course, your health elixir helped greatly," Ryu lied.

"Speaking of, you were going to explain that," Omitsu said walking over."

Ryu gave Omitsu a quick overview of what had happened since the village had been attacked.

"I see, you should probably get some rest then. Tomorrow will be busy for you."

He bid her and Muramasa a goodnight and headed back to the temple. He hopped Hayate would still be there so they could continue their conversation from earlier.

When he entered the temple a shrine maiden showed him to a guest room.

"Is Hayate still here?" He asked her.

"I believe Master Hayate has retired for the evening."

Ryu thanked the shrine maiden and went inside his room. It wasn't anything fancy, just a small room with a bed and a nightstand. There was a door that connected to a bathroom that he used to wash up and change into a dark blue robe that had been left for him.

When he came out of the bathroom, he noticed a bowl of health elixir had been left for him. He picked up the bowl, it was filled to the brim with silvery liquid. He downed it and walked out of the room. He needed to have a conversation with Momiji.

He found her sitting outside in the courtyard by the pond, she had already changed and was wearing a light-colored kimono. He walked over and joined her.

The water glittered and sparkled with the reflection of the night sky above it.

"We'll begin preparation tomorrow," He said. "I don't want to waste any time so we will probably head out towards the entrance to the underworld sometime around noon."

"Ryu, I've been thinking," She said. Turning to look him in the eyes. "Is it really best for you to go on this mission?"

He gave her a steely look.

"If exerting yourself only makes your condition worse, wouldn't it be better for you to sit this one out?" She continued, while his expression got colder and colder. "Master Hayate, Kasumi, Ayane, Rachel and I should be more than..."

"No,"

"But..."

"But nothing, your suggestion is foolish. You really expect me to stand by while you put yourself in danger?"

"You need to rest so we can cure..."

Ryu looked down, he couldn't meet her gaze any more. She stopped, realizing the truth. Ryu remained silent.

"There isn't a cure... Is there?" She asked, doing her best to keep her voice steady.

"I'm sorry for not telling you, but we need to focus on the task at hand and..."

She got up and turned her back to him. She couldn't look at him.

"So then what? If we do defeat Nyx then what? Do you want me to watch you die slowly while telling me it was for the best?"

Tears were rolling down her face.

"It's not as bad as all that, if I continue to take health elixir I should be able to live for years and..."

"And if you don't exert yourself Like you are about to do?"

"And in that time we can look for a solution," He finished, disregarding her statement. He stood up.

"I can't risk your life, which is why you're going to stay here. Hayate, Rachel, Kasumi, and Ayane will accompany me which should be more than enough to deal with Nyx. I want you to take the villagers back to the Hayabusa village."

She spun around, her mouth falling open. For a second she couldn't comprehend what he was saying, then the sadness that had been on her face previously was replaced with a look of outrage.

"You're joking right, you can't seriously expect me to sit this out," Her voice shook from suppressed rage.

"This isn't a debate..."

"You can barely fight!" She was shouting now.

"You can barely throw a punch without running out of energy but you think I'll slow you down?"

"This isn't about your capabilities,"

"Oh, then what is it about exactly?"

"It's because I..."

He couldn't say the words he wanted. Not knowing he didn't have a lot of time left, It wouldn't be fair to her.

"Because I don't want to lose you the same way I lost the village like I lost Kureha." He said softly, putting his hand on the side of her face.

She batted it aside, tears were streaming down her face again and she wouldn't look at him. "Don't use her against me,"

"You're so selfish!" She shouted at him.

"You only care about how you feel about this, you don't give a shit how I might feel or anyone else,"

"That isn't..."

"I can't deal with this right now," She said, throwing her hands in the air and turning around. "Do whatever the hell you want."

She stormed out of the courtyard.

Ryu sat back down and put his face in his hands. He hadn't expected this conversation to be easy, but he didn't expect it to end like this.

"That wasn't the best way to handle that,"

Ryu looked up to see Hayate standing over him.

"I suppose you heard all of that"

"Just the 'you're selfish' part, which I agree with," He said, sitting down next to Ryu.

"Why didn't you tell her about your theory? If Nyx really is after her, then I'm sure she wouldn't have made quite a fuss."

"It's getting late," Ryu said, getting up. "We should both get some sleep, we have a long day tomorrow."

He didn't feel like having this conversation now. Truth be told his reasons for leaving Momiji behind had little to do with Nyx.

He went back to his room. He knew it would be a sleepless night.


	8. Chapter 7 - Ryu

After tossing and turning for several hours, sleep finally claimed Ryu.

Standing in front of the same shimmering moonlit pond. He was unsurprised to find himself having the same dream of the previous nights.

This time, however, it felt different. The dream felt more evocative, he could see everything in more detail. Mist rose like steam off the pond, he could see a waterfall illuminated by a giant full moon in the sky above, Ryu looked up and could see a cloudless sky, stars sparked forming constellations. Large overhanging trees stood next to the pond.

He took a step into the pond, it wasn't deep. He swam over to the waterfall, as he approached, it parted. He could see a large cave illuminated by the moonlight shining through a crack in the cave ceiling, a girl with long black hair falling down her back stood facing away from him on a small island in the middle of the cave.

Swimming through the waterfall he stood up in the shallow waters of the cave. As he approached, the girl turned around, it was Momiji.

"What's going on?" Ryu asked her.

"It's too late, Ryu," She said, smiling. "You're too late, Ryu."

"Too late for what?" He questioned

"Always too late,"

"Too late for what?" He questioned again, his blood running cold.

Suddenly, the light from the moon disappeared plunging them into darkness. It was only a second, but it felt like much longer, Ryu didn't dare to breathe.

Momiji let out an ear-splitting scream that echoed through the cave. The little island she had been standing on suddenly burst into flames. The cave was illuminated by a purple ring of fire encircling the island. Momiji was laying in the middle, screaming and writhing in pain. Blood trickled out of her mouth as she called out to him.

Ryu dashed forward, he tried to run through the wall of flames but before he could reach her, the entire island went up in flames. He shielded his eyes as it blazed in front of him.

Looking up, he could see the silhouette of someone standing over what must be an alter. The figure held a knife raised over someone laying on the alter. Ryu's heart skipped a beat. Without thinking, he gritting his teeth and ran straight into the flames.

White-hot pain coursed through his body and he stumbled a few steps, his vision going blurry, but he kept running. His eyes watered from the effort of keeping them open, but he kept them locked on the alter.

He kept running, but he wasn't getting any closer. The figure stood with the knife raised over the alter. He could hear a faint chanting coming from the figure, but he couldn't decern what they were saying.

The figure laying on the alter started writhing and screaming again... It was Momiji's scream.

Ryu yelled and ran as fast as he could through the fire, ignoring the almost unimaginable pain. The figure brought the knife plunging down. The screaming stopped. Everything went black.

Ryu woke up, his heart racing and his head spinning. He sat up, his body was covered in a cold sweat. He got up and walked into the bathroom adjacent to his room. He splashed water on his face. His mind was reeling, the sound of Momiji's scream was still echoing in his head.

Those dreams, he didn't know what they meant or why he was having them; or why this particular dream was so vivid. The heat from the fire, the unimaginable pain, he could remember exactly what it felt like. They weren't ordinary dreams, that was obvious.

He decided to go for a walk, he needed to clear his mind. He wanted to find Momiji, make certain she was safe, but he restrained himself. He's probably the last person she wants to see right now.

He grabbed a robe that had been left out for him and threw it on, He walked out into the hallway, checking to see if Momiji was in her the room; she wasn't, he headed to the temple entrance. As he entered the main hall, he heard a faint melodic humming coming from the courtyard.

He paused for a moment, listening to the humming. Then he followed the noise.

As he stepped out into the courtyard, he saw someone was sitting by the pond. When he got closer, he realized it was a young girl, the same young girl that had been at the village holding the cursed blade that wounded him.

Instead of wearing a simple black cloak, this time she was wearing luxurious robes made from shimmering black silk. Jewels and bangles adorned her arms and there were streaks of purple running through her long black hair.

He stopped behind her, she was watching the fish in the pond, sitting on a stone bench that hadn't been there earlier.

"This is a lovely garden," She said, her back facing him.

Ryu said nothing but kept his eyes locked on the girl.

"It's so quaint," She continued. "This is the first place I've felt at ease in a long while."

Ryu still said nothing.

"I think I'll have to make one like this," She mused. "With a temple and beautiful statues."

"What do you want, Nyx?" Ryu interrupted.

The girl stopped talking, she stood up and turned around. Ryu could see a black gold chain hanging from her neck, an amethyst dangling from the end. She smiled, a cold merciless smile, her striking gray eyes devoid of any emotion.

"So you've figured out who I am," She said. "I'm honored. Truthfully it's nice to be recognized after all this time."

Her robes were shimmering Ryu noticed, upon closer inspection, he could distinguish faces in the fabric. Human faces, pained, anguished faces.

Nyx giggled lightly and turned back to the pond. "Yes, they are real faces," She said. "Your clansmen, citizens, all trapped in an endless void, feeding me their energy."

"Your father is in here too," She continued lazily. "He was surprisingly weak. Thanks to him I found the exact location of your precious village."

Ryu's eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"

"Such rudeness," She said, clicking her tongue. "I thought you knew who I was."

"You want to destroy this world."

Nyx walked along the pond over to the sakura tree. "I wonder," She mused aloud, stepping under the tree. "When Gurdu originally created this world, I hated it. I wanted to go back to the blissful endless darkness, I wanted to see this world burn."

Reaching up, she grabbed a flower off the tree. "But now, I think there's beauty in this world of Gurdu's creation. A peacefulness to even rival the endless void." She said, turning the flower over fondly.

"But imagine my surprise when I found out someone else was attempting to destroy it in my sted."

The flower sitting on Nyx's open palm started wilting, the color fading and the leaves shriveling up. Nyx looked Ryu in the eyes. "Your kind," She said softly. "Destroying the beauty this world has to offer." A purple fire danced in her eyes.

"Waste strewn about what little wildlife is left, dumped in the oceans, nature destroyed by your ugly lifeless cities." Her hand lit with purple fire, incinerating what was left of the little flower.

"Your kind is a plague, a parasite. To think, Gurdu's own creations would destroy the world he cared so much about." She laughed without humor. "It's almost funny."

"What do you want," Ryu said for the third time.

"Have I not already told you?" She said mockingly. "I want this world to burn." In the palm of her hand, the ashes of the flower started shifting; reforming. A new flower formed, a striking purple color.

Nyx let the flower fall to the ground. "I think this time however I will remake it, it would make such a beautiful garden once you parasites have been wiped out."

She smiled, this time with real joy. A look of pure bliss spread across her face. "Oh, it will be wonderful," She spun in a circle laughing.

"Once you're all..."

"You aren't completely conscious yet, are you?" Ryu interrupted.

She stopped, her joyful expression wiped from her face and was replaced by one of annoyance. "For now, but don't worry. It's nothing your little shrine maiden can't change."

Ryu's blood ran cold. "So you are after her, or the Eye of the Dragon rather."

"You are sharp for a parasite," Nyx said, laughing.

"Those dreams..."

Nyx smiled. "Darkness is often equated with dreams, naturally I can invade yours."

"What do you want with her?" Ryu said, his head was starting to ache, he felt sick.

"I think you should be worried more about yourself," She said. "I'm honestly amazed you're able to stand after taking that cursed blade. Your lineage is truly impressive."

"I won't let you hurt her."

Nyx started to laugh. What started as a chuckle turned into a maniacal shout.

"You're all going to burn," She screamed at him.

The ground around them began to shake, the stone bench she had been sitting on crumbled into pieces, purple flames blazed up around them.

Ryu dashed forward. Before he could touch Nyx, she erupted in a pillar of purple flames. Her maniacal laughter still echoing through the courtyard. Where she had been standing before, a purple flower grew as the grass around it died.

Ryu scanned the area around him. He didn't see any Fiends, but if Nyx was here they couldn't be far behind. He ran out of the courtyard and through the main hall. He burst through the temple doors and out of the gates of the outer courtyard. The sight that met him was the Mugen Tenshin clan in flames.

Thick black smoke clouded the foggy air, obscuring the blazing residential section. The few houses he could see through the smog had been completely destroyed. The once beautifully carved steps leading to the temple were now in ruins, stone blocks ripped out and crushed.

This wasn't right, this amount of destruction couldn't have happened in the time he spent talking to Nyx. And there was no way anyone could have slept through all of this...

He didn't have time to dwell on it, however. He had to find Momiji, that was the most important thing right now.

Ryu leaped down the steps and ran head-long into the black smoke. He had to think, where would she have gone? This wasn't the Hayabusa village, there weren't any spots she would normally go. Knowing her, she would join the fight as soon as the clan was attacked.

He ran through the rows of houses. Bloody corpses littered the ground. Men, women, children. Detached limbs strewn about, guts painting the road red. A lump was forming in this throat, the more he saw the heavier his heart got. He had brought this upon these people, it was all his fault, he was the one who decided to come here.

The open-air market was burning just like the housing had been. Shops were ransacked, vendor stalls were overturned, merchandise strewn across the road. Similar scenes of gore everywhere.

Ryu hadn't encountered anyone alive, he couldn't hear anything over the blazing fire. It was just like the Hayabusa village. He was starting to panic, what if Momiji had already been trapped in that fabric? He still didn't fully know what he was dealing with.

As Ryu approached the city square, he saw the main gate was destroyed. It looked like it had been forced in from the outside; the wooden doors splintered and laying in the market circle, the two guard towers were covered in blood and lying in ruin.

He stopped in the center of the circle. If whatever had done this had entered here... where could they have gone?

As he contemplated his next course of action. He heard laughing... It started as a chuckle, then turned maniacal. It was Nyx's laugh, echoing all around him.

Suddenly Fiends were all around him. Pouring out from the burning buildings, jumping down the rooftops, coming in from the destroyed main gate. He counted, five, twelve, thirty, fifty fiends. They kept coming. All armed with katana and razor-sharp claws. He was surrounded by a small army. The sheer aura of them made him sick to his stomach. He couldn't believe he didn't sense them before, he should have been able to sense them from miles away.

He went for his sword... but it wasn't there. He hadn't picked it up when he ran out of the temple.

The fiends charged at him, he folded his hand in front of him and closed his eyes. As he began to chant three orbs of fire formed around him. The orbs of fire burst into firey phoenixes, encircling Ryu.

As the Fiends attacked, the phoenixes would pass through them, incinerating them on the spot. But for every demon incinerated, three more would take its place. He was pathetically outnumbered.

He picked up one of the demon's katana off the ground. He jumped in the thick of the horde, slashing and spinning. He was a blur of firey motion, Fiends fell all around him.

Adrenaline rushed through him, he started counting. Four cut down, nine, seventeen, twenty-five. The phoenixes still circling him. He started losing count but the mass of demons wasn't getting any smaller. Ryu however was getting slower, the ninpo ability draining him of all his energy.

With a horrible shriek, he saw out of the corner of his eye, one of the greater fiends they had fought in Tokyo charging towards him. Knocking smaller fiends out of the way. It lounged at him on its strange crab legs. The human top with its arms outstretched, teeth bared, claws extended. He jumped back in the air to avoid the creature's attack. He wasn't fast enough.

The demon grabbed his leg as he flew backwards. The phoenixes attacked the fiend, it let out a horrible wail and hurled Ryu across the square.

He landed with a thud against the city wall, the phoenixes letting out a shriek before disappearing, his energy was spent.

His head was spinning, his vision blurred. He needed to get up, he couldn't let Momiji die. He struggled to his feet, then stumbled back down on one knee.

He looked up, the fiend was standing over him. It's humanoid face spread in a grin. It raised one of its razor-sharp legs.

Every muscle in Ryu's body screamed. He desperately wanted to roll to the side, save himself. But he couldn't. His body was numb.

"I'm sorry," He whispered under his breath.

Blood gushed out of the stump where the fiend's front leg had been. Inches away from impaling Ryu. The demon let out an ear-splitting howl and stumbled around, trying to balance on three legs. Blood gushed again from the bloody stump where it's other front leg had been. The demon toppled over, snarling and clawing at the ground.

It made guttural noises as it dragged its mangled body towards Ryu. Casually stepping over the demon's body, Hayate drove his sword into the creature's skull, silencing it.

The fiend army howled, they charged the two. Ryu saw someone drop from above, slamming into the center of the mass of demons. Red energy enveloped the horde, incinerating them all.

Rachel stepped out of the giant crater she had just made. A few demons still remained, but they were no match for the fiend hunter. With a lazy swing of her war hammer, the remaining demons were crushed.

Hayate offered Ryu a hand. "Are you alright?"

Ryu stood up, his head was still spinning. "Where's Momiji?" He asked.

"I don't know, but one of my men is looking after her, don't worry," Hayate said. "Kasumi is evacuating the surviving villagers, Helena and doatec will offer refuge for us."

Ryu looked down. "I'm sorry.. this is..."

"Not your fault," Hayate interjected. "Nyx would have come for us eventually."

"I spoke to her, at the temple. " Ryu said.

"That was rather obvious" Rachel snorted, walking over.

"What she means-" Hayate said. "Is that a few minutes before the fiends broke through the main gates, the temple, it was surrounded by swirling black fog. No one could get in and you were the only one inside. What did she say?"

"She wants to destroy the planet and remake it herself."

Hayate raised his eyebrows. "Does she have the power to do that?"

"She's not at fully conscious yet, she's amassing power by trapping people and feeding off their energy. She has them trapped in the fabric of her robes somehow."

"How did she manage that?" Rachel asked, sounding impressed.

"I'm not sure, there's nothing in her legends that say anything about that," Ryu said. "She mentioned needing the eye of the dragon, I need to find Momiji and make sure she's safe."

"I didn't see her during the fight," Rachel said. "She might have gone to the training grounds, I don't think it was destroyed."

Relief filled Ryu, the training ground is somewhere she would go when she was angry. "Thank you, I will check..."

"Don't bother," Ayane said, hopping down from one of the burning buildings, joining the small group. "She's gone," She said.

"How do you know?" Ryu said sharply.

"Hiroshi is dead, that's who master Hayate had watching her."

Ryu felt sick, the brief moment of relief draining away. His worst fear was becoming a reality. He swore under his breath.

Hayate hung his head and put one hand on Ayane's shoulder. "Are you sure he's dead?"

"His body is by the lake near the canyon, the guards at the canyon bridge are also dead."

"The Hayabusa village..." Ryu said. "That's where Nyx is,"

Hayate looked up. "How do you know?"

"That's where this started, I don't think she ever left. I have to go right now..."

"Right now you need to take some health elixir," Rachel interrupted. "You look like you're going to collapse any minute and you don't even have your sword."

Ryu was about to argue.

"It is my duty to make sure the survivors get to safety," Hayate said, Interrupting them. "Kasumi and I will escort the survivors to safety, I will send someone to get you some elixir and your armor and sword. Then you, Rachel, and Ayane can get to the Hayabusa village as fast as you can, we will join you as soon as we are able. Is this acceptable."

Ayane nodded and Rachel grunted in agreement. Ryu looked up, daylight was breaking over the trees. Logically Nyx wouldn't do anything until nightfall when she was most powerful.

He sighed and nodded in agreement.


	9. Chapter 8 - Momiji

Momiji stormed out of the temple.

She was furious, she couldn't believe how obstinate Ryu was being. She never thought for a second he would actually sit this out, given what they were facing. But actively keeping her from fighting? When things were this serious? This was ridiculous, she couldn't figure out any logic behind it. She had never known him to be this reckless.

"Stubborn ninjas," She grumbled to herself.

She knew Ryu had come to grips with his own death long ago. As a ninja who'd quite literally been through hell and back, he would've had to. But there was a difference between accepting the possibility of death and completely disregarding it. It's like he has a death wish.

She walked aimlessly through the clan. Too absorbed in thought to notice where she was going, or that someone was following her.

She stopped and looked up, she was in front of the big main gate that was the entrance to the clan. She looked around the big city circle, all the vendors and shops were closed. The streets that had been so alive and crowded only a few hours ago were now almost completely empty, only a few people were still out. There was a peacefulness to it she thought.

She stepped up to the main gate, without saying anything they swung open for her and she walked through. There was one other place in the clan she wanted to see.

She walked through the forest, thought the cave and down the steps, she traveled down the cliff until she came up to the view she had wanted to see.

The large valley she had seen before was illuminated by the moonlight. Wind rippled through the ankle-high grass. By the treeline in the distance, she could see a sparkling river. The view was breathtaking in the daylight, it was otherworldly at night.

When she got to the bottom of the cliff, instead of following the path she walked through the meadow. She wanted to go to that stream.

She walked through the meadow to the river, she sat down on the mossy grass. She let out a sigh. Tears she didn't even realize she was holding in started sliding down her cheeks. She wasn't angry anymore, she didn't know what to do. She had already lost her family, the village, and now she was about to lose Ryu too. The only person she had left.

Suddenly she felt an unfamiliar presence, she jumped to her feet. Pinpointing the source, she saw a masked figure perched in a nearby tree. Fast as lighting, she dashed and jumped ten feet into the air, catching the figure by the throat. Knocking them out of the tree, she and the figure came crashing to the ground, Momiji landing on top of the person.

There was just enough light for her to identify the person was wearing a ninja garb... a Mugen Tenshin ninja garb. She removed her hand from the person's throat and got off them. Apologizing profusely.

Of course, there would be guards.

The ninja rolled over on their side coughing. They sat up and removed their mask. It was Hiroshi, the ninja that had guided them through the clan.

"I apologize for startling you, miss." He said, rubbing his neck.

"It's my fault."

"I have to say, I've never seen anyone move like that save for Master Hayabusa. You're incredibly skilled."

Hiroshi was grinning. His long black hair pulled into a tight bun. His soft features and lack of age lines gave him a youthful appearance. If she didn't know he was one of the clan's elders she would have guessed he was mid-twenties.

"Thank you," She said.

They sat in silence for a minute, neither of them knowing what to say to each other.

"Can I ask what you're doing all the way out here?" Hiroshi asked.

"... I just kind of ended up here. It's really beautiful."

He smiled. "I can't help but notice there seems to be something troubling you."

There was something about this man's earnest personality that made Momiji trust him, or maybe she just wanted to talk to someone.

"Have you ever lost someone? Someone you were really close to," She asked.

Hiroshi was staring at the stream, a somewhat far off look on his face. It made him look like he had lived a hundred lifetimes. "I did, a long time ago,"

"How do you deal with the loneliness?"

He chuckled, "That's a question people spend their entire life searching for."

"What did you do?"

"Drink,"

"Oh," Momiji didn't know what to say to that.

"I can't really give you a solution, or some grand perspective-changing revelation. Something like that rarely exists. All I can tell you is that fates are intertwined. We'll meet again, in another life."

That last part sounded more like he was talking to himself than her. Momiji though about what Hiroshi had said. Fate, destiny, she never really thought much about either before. As far as she had been concerned, she was in control of her own fate. But now that she's found herself in a situation she certainly wasn't in control of...

Suddenly Hiroshi's body went rigid. Momiji could hear a faint rustling, It snapped her out of her thoughts.

Hiroshi jumped to his feet, "We need to go,"

A fiend burst from a nearby tree, hurtling towards Momiji. claws extended, teeth bared.

Hiroshi unsheathed the katana strapped to his back. In one clean motion, he removed the demon's head from its body before it could reach her. The fiend fell to the ground with a thud at Momiji's feet.

Momiji jumped to her feet and the two ran back in the direction of the clan. Looking up, she saw a thin mist hanging in the air. It was blocking out the moonlight, leaving them in nearly complete blackness.

They were halfway across the meadow when fiends started melting out of the darkness on all sides. She counted more than twenty.

"Catch!" Hiroshi shouted, tossing her a knife. His sword drawn, he dashed into the nearest cluster of demons. Slashing, and maneuvering, he handled the group of demons with great skill.

Momiji slit the throat of the first demon that attacked her, she sent a flaming fist through the second. She wasn't sure how many fiends she killed, but a ring of bodies quickly formed around her.

When she didn't see any more fiends, she glanced over at Hiroshi. He was finishing off the last demon, an impressive ring of bodies around him.

She was about to compliment his skill when a woman's laughter echoed through the valley, Momiji looked around but she didn't see anyone. Turning back to look at Hiroshi, she saw a look of fear on his pale face.

"You have to get back to the clan right now," he said.

Momiji's eyes widened. Demons started melting out of the darkness all across the meadow. Black blobs fell from the overhead mist, crashing down in a disgusting heap and forming into a demon. There were three times more than before, and they kept coming. She had never seen so many fiends in one place before.

"Run!" Hiroshi shouted.

"I can't leave.."

"Go! They aren't after me..."

Two demons charged at him. With a quick slash he sliced one of the demons in half, he impaled the other through the forehead. Three more charged at him before he even finished the first two.

Momiji looked over her shoulder, the army of fiends would be on them in seconds. She had to think fast.

Folding her hands, she began to cast a shield around them, giving them a few minutes of breathing room. But she wasn't fast enough.

She looked up to see blood gushing from a hole in Hiroshi's chest. One of the fiends had gotten behind him, it shoved it's hand through his chest, ripping his heart out. He crumpled to the ground.

The fiend tossed the organ to the ground and charged towards Momiji.

Her throat tightened. She sat down, legs crossed, hands folded. She chanted a quick spell and a barrier formed around her.

The army of fiends hit the barrier with the force of an explosion. They scratched and pounded on the shield.

Tears stung her eyes, she closed them. She cleared her mind and focused on the energy flowing through her body into the shield. She didn't know how long she could keep it sustained. Ten minutes? Five? Two? Her head was already starting to ache with the strain.

"You're very powerful, young one."

Momiji's eyes flew open. A girl was sitting cross-legged in front of her. It was the same girl she had seen at the village. The one holding the cursed knife.

"Shh, it will all be over soon."

Nyx reached out and placed a finger on Momiji's forehead. She blacked out.

Momiji breathed in, sulfur and smoke burned her lungs. Charred bodies and houses burned to ash surrounded her. She was standing in the ruins of the Hayabusa village.

She walked through the village. Her mind felt foggy, it was like she was in a dream. She saw three bodies that hadn't been burned, she approached them. It was her family, her sister laid in between her mother and father. Their bodies were spotless, peaceful expressions on their faces.

This must be when the village was attacked by Doku.

But her family's bodies, like everyone else, hadn't been preserved. She knelt down and touched her sister's face. Even in death, Kureha was beautiful. She was wearing red and white shrine maidens robes and the peaceful expression on her face made her look like she was sleeping.

Momiji was standing in a meadow, she was wearing a sleeveless white dress. A cloudless blue sky was overhead. A light breeze rippled through her hair and the sun warmed her skin. She took in a deep breath of fresh air, a sense of bliss filled her lungs.

Someone called her name. She turned around and saw Ryu standing behind her.

He was wearing loose blue robes, his long hair in a ponytail, an easy smile played on his lips. She had never seen him smile like that before. He held out his arms, she stepped forward into his warm embrace.

She was standing in the woods where she trained with Ryu.

"I'm leaving"

Ryu's voice echoed in her head. She looked around but didn't see him.

"I'm leaving"

"Why?" She heard herself ask, her voice was shaky.

"I'm leaving"

"Don't leave me" Tears started streaming down her face.

"I'm gone."

She didn't know where she was or what she was looking at. She was standing in a desert, it was mid-day and the scorching sun was shining over a large city. She was miles away but she could clearly see, the city was in ruins.

Is this a nightmare? She thought to herself.

"No," a voice in her head answered. "This is reality."

She was sitting on a stone bench in front of a pond in a beautiful garden. Purple flowers and large overhanging cherry trees were in full bloom. There was something vaguely familiar about the garden.

"My reality."

Momiji's eyes flew open, her heart was racing, her head pounded. She struggled to remember what was happening, the memories of those visions or dreams were overwhelming her. Then it hit her, she was attacked. She and Hiroshi had been attacked... Her heart stung... Then she was attacked by...

Nyx! She tried to sit up but couldn't, thick rope bound her limbs together. She looked up, the sun was setting. Had she been unconscious the entire day? She started to struggle against her bonds.

"There's no use in that."

Momiji turned best she could to see who spoke. A beautiful woman was standing behind her at the end of the alter. She was wearing a long elegant black satin dress, a loose purple robe hung off her shoulders. Jewels hung from her neck and her long silky black hair cascaded in a wave down her back.

Her eyes were closed and her hands were outstretched like she was preparing for a ritual.

"Are you Nyx?" Momiji asked the woman.

The woman opened her eyes and let out a radiant smile. "Yes, I'm Nyx."

She had changed form, but why? Whatever the reason Momiji didn't think it was good. She wondered about those visions again.

"What did you see in your visions?" Nyx asked as if she had read Momiji's mind.

"What were they?"

Nyx closed her eyes again and raised her arms over the alter. "Hmm, I showed you things to come, things past, things you fear."

"Why?"

Nyx smiled again because I didn't need you conscious until now.

'What do you want?"

Nyx sighed. "I'm getting tired of that question." She walked around the altar and sat down next to Momiji. Faster than Momiji could register, Nyx pulled out a knife, the same cured blade that had wounded Ryu. She drove the knife into Momiji's stomach.

Pain like she had never felt before seared through Momiji's entire body, she wanted to scream, but she couldn't find her voice. Her vision was dizzy from the pain. So much pain.

"I showed you what I want in those visions, and I must thank you for making it all possible," Nyx said. She got up, leaving the knife impaled in her stomach.

Walking back around the alter, she placed her hand on Momiji's forehead. "Shhh," Nyx soothed. "I know it hurts but it will all be over soon."

Momiji couldn't stay awake anymore, she slipped back into unconsciousness.


	10. Chapter 9

\- Ryu -

Dark clouds hung in the sky over the Hayabusa village. They obscured the little bit of daylight left, it would be night soon.

Ryu was perched in a tree just outside the village. A thick fog permeating the air, preventing him from seeing much of the village. He could just barely make out of charred ruins of the temple on top of the hill.

"No sign of anyone"

Ayane appeared silently next to him.

"I haven't sensed any fiends either," Rachel called from below them, at the bottom of the tree.

Ryu hadn't sense anything either. However, his senses were dulled and he couldn't trust them. He disappeared then reappeared on the ground next to Rachel, Ayane following in his wake.

"Let's go." He said.

The three ran silently through the burial ground, the sight of the ruined head-stones and decimated graves made Ryu's blood boil, but he kept running. They ran down the stone steps, through the gate, and onto the large bridge.

On the bridge they encountered something. Three greater fiends, patrolling the area.

Ayane leaped into the air and landed on one of the fiends shoulders, she drove her butterfly knives into either side of the fiend's head before it knew what happened.

Rachel also leaped into the air, brandishing her war hammer in both hands, she smashed the fiend in the head sending it toppling over. Landing on the ground she brought her hammer down on its head, crushing it.

Ryu rolled under the third one, ignoring it. He ran through the gates on the opposite side. This was far too easy.

He ran up the short hill, leaped onto the deck of the small building, ignoring the steps. Past the side of the small building, and out into the courtyard. Nyx was waiting.

"You're surprisingly persistent," She said.

She was alone and her appearance had once again. A fully grown, wearing a back satin dress and purple robe stood before him.

"You like it?" She asking, stroking a purple jewel that was hanging from her neck. "This is my original form, how I imagined myself all those centuries ago."

"Where is Momiji?" Ryu questioned. He approached the goddess, his sword pointed at her throat.

Nyx clicked her tongue, not bothered in the slightest by the weapon in her face. "So impatient."

"Where?" He questioned again.

"Already dead."

Ryu thrust his sword forward. As soon as the blade made contact with Nyx, she melted into a cloud of black vapor. She reappeared ten feet away from him.

"Temper, temper," She chided mockingly.

"Where is she!?" He shouted.

"Not here,"

Ryu dashed forward, aiming a strike along Nyx's body. He wasn't thinking clearly anymore. Once again, the second the blade made contact, she disappeared then reappeared.

"Where is she!?"

"Ryu!" Ayane shouted she and Rachel had caught up to him.

"She's distracting you, look at the temple,"

The black clouds were conjoining above the temple. Lightning flashed in the swirling vortex. Torches were lit with purple fire giving the temple an eerie glow through the fog.

Nyx cackled and disappeared again. This time, In her place, stood a twenty feet tall monster. Black slime oozed out of its grayish skin. It stood on two stubby legs with two long arms attached to a giant body, it's small loppy misshapen head was nothing more than two beady black eyes and a large maw.

The grand fiend let out a tremendous roar. Spit and slime flew everywhere.

"That's disgusting," Rachel grimaced, flicking the black gunk off her shoulder.

The monster charged at Ryu, it brought its boulder-sized fists crashing down where he had just been standing. Ryu and Ayane ran up the length of its arms, they slashed at its face with their blades while Rachel attacked it's lower body.

With surprising speed, the fiend swatted at ninja attacking its face, forcing them to retreat. Ayane leaped off, cleanly avoiding the attack. It caught Ryu as he leaped away, throwing him off balance. He tumbled on the ground before regaining his balance.

The monster clashed with Rachel. The fiend hunter going blow for blow with the fiend.

"Hit it together," Ayane said, appearing next to Ryu.

With their combined strength the two ninjas formed a giant ball of ninpo energy. Rachel dashed under one of the fiends' attacks, smashing her hammer into its stubby knees. The grand fiend crumpled to the ground. Ayane and Ryu launched their attack at the monster.

The giant ball of energy slammed into the monster, sending it crashing into the far wall, crushing the gate leading up to the temple.

"We need to..."

Fiends started crawling over the walls before Ryu could even say "get to the temple".

Jumping off the buildings, pouring in from the entranceway. The trio were about to be surrounded within seconds.

"Get to the temple, we'll buy you as much time as we can," Rachel said as she and Ayane charged into the mob.

Ryu headed straight for the crushed gate, the grand fiend stirred as he stepped on it before running up the stone stairs. He cut down fiends as he dashed up the stairs at top speed. He found the entrance to the temple had been blocked by smoldering rubble.

The temple had a surrounding wall, he jumped on top of the nearest one, then jump on top of the roof, there wasn't any fog over the temple. He ran over and peered into the main courtyard.

Momiji was tied to an altar, the same alter from his visions. Ryu's heart started beating quicker, thunder rumbled overhead. Nyx was sitting next to her on the altar. Nyx looked directly at him, her eyes glinted and she smiled. She pulled out her knife, the same cursed knife wounded him. She drove it into Momiji's stomach.

Ryu stumbled, almost falling from the roof, he couldn't process what had just happened at first. Momiji didn't make a noise.

A pit formed in his stomach. For the first time since the Hayabusa village had first been destroyed and he lost everything, tears welled up in his eyes.

He leaped from the roof. Countless emotions he'd been trained to bury were running through his head, but right now, vengeance was the only one he listened to.

He let out his rage in a roar and lunged at the goddess.

Nyx raised her hand casually, a force field formed between him and the alter. Ryu hit the shield full force. It cracked. Another powerful strike with his sword and the shield shattered. He was running completely on adrenaline.

She threw up another shield, he shattered it. She threw up another one, he shattered it. Fiends came at him on all sides, he ripped through them in a furry.

He dashed towards Nyx, she crossed her arms in front of her, Ryu's blade met a shield inches away from her face. He applied pressure and sparks started flying from the collision.

"You really think you can challenge me?!" Nyx screamed in mirth.

A ripple of pure energy emitted from Nyx's body sending Ryu stumbling back.

Nyx hovered ten feet in the air, her robes billowed around her and her eyes glowed even brighter. A look of rage etched on her face. Her eyes glinted and the jewel around her neck flashed.

"I am no mere goddess,"

She blasted purple energy at him, he narrowly dodged it. The ground under him started to tremble and crack.

"I am the oldest living thing in this universe,"

Purple fire shot out of the cracks in the earth, Ryu leaped on to the roof of the temple. She sent another barrage of energy at him, he leaped from the roof avoiding the blasts. The temple imploded from the force of Nyx's attack and Ryu was caught in the explosion.

He landed hard on the ground next to the alter. He got to his feet if he could just get to Momiji...

With blinding speed, Nyx dashed at him. Her nails extended into razor-sharp talons. Ryu held his sword defensively in front of him. Clang! Sparks flew everywhere as talons struck steel.

"You..." Clang!

"Can not..." Clang!

"Hope to..." Clang!

"Defeat me!" She struck the sword with tremendous force, Ryu felt the sword slip from his grasp. It flew out of his hands and into Nyx's outstretched hand.

Before Ryu could react she drove the point of the sword through his chest until the hilt met his body. They were face to face. "Parasite."

She ripped the sword from his chest. Ryu collapsed to one knee, blood spilling out of the wound.

Nyx stood over him, a look of malice on her face. She held out the dragon sword, "With this, I will sacrifice what's left of that girl. Your bloodline will come to an end. I will use the eye of the dragon to awaken fully. This world Grudu sought after will be mine to do how I see fit,"

She laughed. "It's funny that Grudu's own power will be the undoing his creation he fought so hard to protect."

Nyx turned her back on him, laughing. He wanted to move, to fight back. To summon any energy he had left to stop Nyx and protect Momiji, but he didn't have any left, the adrenaline was spent. His time was up.

The dragon ninja collapsed in the dirt.

\- Momiji -

White light. That was all Momiji could see.

She wasn't sure if she was dead or not. She didn't feel dead, actually, she didn't feel anything at all. Like a floating consciousness, her senses were all that remained.

Peaceful bliss wafted through her senses. Was this the afterlife? She wasn't sure. Maybe she was in limbo?

She couldn't really do much so she decided to wait.

And wait... And wait...

The white light that was the only thing she could see suddenly started getting brighter. It got brighter and brighter. Then dimmed revealing a clear blue sky.

She realized she was laying on the ground. She sat up, she had a body again. She looked around she was in a meadow, dense trees and shrubbery surrounded the meadow, creating a circle about fifty feet wide any direction. Soft daylight was shinning into the meadow. She stood up, she had been lying in a bed of ankle-high flowers.

In the center of the meadow, there was a large maple tree overlooking a pond. She walked over. It vaguely reminded her of the courtyard at the Mugen Tenshin temple.

The pond was a perfect circle, two fish swam together in unison forming a circle. It looked like they were dancing together. The water rippled out from the fish's motion.

She wondered if she was dreaming, maybe she was dead.

"You're not dead yet child," A voice spoke behind her.

Momiji turned sharply to see who'd spoken.

A man stood behind her. He was tall and he didn't look much older than thirty. Wearing simple gray robes, he had close-cropped black hair and a beard.

At this point, nothing really surprised her anymore. "Who are you?" She asked the man.

He smiled revealing smile lines around his eyes, it gave him a warm look. "I've had many names,"

She rolled her eyes, she hadn't expected a straight answer. She looked around the meadow. "Where are we?" She asked.

"I was actually about to ask you the same question." The man said. "Do you not recognized this place?"

"No, what is this place?" She asked.

He pondered for a moment, "I suppose you could say we are in a metaphysical space between your cognition and psyche."

Momiji looked at him blankly.

He thought for a minute, "We are inside your mind."

"Oh," And with that, she was convinced she was dreaming.

"So what exactly are we doing here?" She asked the man, half sarcastically.

"Oh, that would be my doing," He said cheerfully. "I brought you here. I wanted a chance to talk to you."

"About?"

"Before we speak, I think there are a few people who would like to speak to you first," The man said, he gestured towards Momiji. She spun around, behind her... Was Momiji's sister, Kureha.

"Hello, little sister," Kureha said in the warm tone Momiji remembered so well. She was wearing a simple white dress and her shoulder-length hair clouded her smiling face.

Suddenly Momiji didn't care if it was a dream anymore, it felt real. Tears welled up in her eyes, she threw her arms around her sister. Her heart ached, fresh guilt bubbling up.

"I'm sorry," She stammered.

"Shh, none of that," Kureha said, stroking Momiji's hair.

She pulled away, "How are you here? What's going on?"

Kureha glanced at the man, he was standing behind the sisters, not interrupting them. A faint smile etched on his face. "Our friend over here gave me the opportunity to come talk to you, even if only for a few minutes."

"But you're... I wasn't..." Momiji couldn't get the words out.

"I made peace with that, it's time you did too. Both of you." Kureha said, her voice turning stern.

A mutual understanding passed between the sisters, they embraced again. Kureha looked into Momiji's eyes, "Whatever happens, whatever you choose, I want you to know I will always love you."

"What do you mean? What choice?"

"I'm sorry, my time is up," Kureha said.

She started fading in Momiji's arms. "Remember, to look after yourself. And Ryu too."

"Wait! Don't go." Momiji shouted. She still had a million questions.

Kureha was gone. Momiji spun to face the man, "Where did she go? What did you do to her?"

"Calm down," The man said kindly. Her spirit simply returned to where it's supposed to be. She's not really supposed to be here, I had to bend a few rules."

"What do you mean where she's supposed to be?" She demanded.

"Before I answer that question, I think there's one more person who would like to speak with you." He gestured again.

She turned, wondering who she was going to see this time.

Hiroshi standing behind her. Arm and arm with a pretty young girl. He smiled, "Hello miss, it's nice to see you again."

Momiji's throat tightened. "I'm sorry, It's my fault you're here,"

"None of that nonsense now, I figured you would be beating yourself up about it." He said. "Remember our talk, I had someone waiting for me, you do as well."

They started fading. Momiji smiled. "Thank you,"

"Remember to trust your gut kid, you'll be alright." He smiled as the pair disappeared.

She turned back to the man, but he was sitting on a stone slab next to the pond that hadn't been there before. She walked over and sat next to him. "Thank you for that," She said quietly.

"It's my pleasure,"

They didn't speak for a moment. "What was that?" Momiji asked.

"Those were the deceased spirits that most wanted to talk to you, vice versa they were some of the deceased people you most wanted to see again. Your spirit called out to them, I simply opened the door."

"Why?"

"Pardon?"

"Why did you bring them here?" She asked. "Why did you bring me here? What do you want?"

"I wanted to give you a choice. It's a bit selfish of me, I'm terribly sorry." The man said.

The fish in the pond stopped their dance and swam over in front of them. They began circling each other again however this time Momiji could see an image forming in the pond.

She saw herself on the alter, Nyx's knife still impaled through her stomach. "You're holding on, but your soul won't hold out much longer." The man said.

The scene changed, Ryu was collapsed on the ground, he wasn't moving. "The dragon ninja has reached his limit."

The scene changed one last time. Rachel and Ayane were fighting off wave after wave of fiends. The fish broke their circle and went back to dancing in the middle of the pond.

"It's unlikely that they can defeat Nyx alone." He said.

"So that's it, It's over, Nyx won," Momiji said.

"Hmm," The man's brows knit together. "Not necessarily,"

"What can we do?"

"That's the selfish part, You could go back. I foresee that if you do go back the scales could be tipped against Nyx."

"Alright then send me back."

The man gave her a painful smile, "My dear you haven't heard your other option yet."

Momiji remained silent.

"You can move on. Your soul will move on from this world, you can be with your family again."

"What... like heaven?" Momiji asked skeptically.

"Hm, Truthfully I don't know exactly waits for you. I have never moved past this world. But I do know your loved ones will be waiting for you."

Suddenly this choice became harder, Momiji missed her family. "What will happen to Ryu?" She asked, "Rachel and Ayane as well."

"It's hard to tell, in the unfortunate case they are killed by Nyx. They too will move on from this world. It's likely they will join you."

"Is this a dream?" She asked. This all seems impossible to her.

"I can assure you this is real," He said kindly. "No one can blame you for wanting to be with your loved ones again, young one. Whatever you choose, choose freely."

Suddenly the ground shook and the sunlight dimmed. "But you do need to hurry, time is running out."

"Send me back," Momiji said without hesitating.

The man gave her a wry smile. "I had a feeling you would choose that,"

The ground shook again. The man jumped to his feet, "Whelp, It's time for you to go back, and for me to be on my way."

Momiji jumped to her feet as well. "You never told me your name."

Momiji's vision started going blurry, the meadow, the trees, the pond, everything was fading back to white. The man stepped into the pond, the fist began to circle around his legs. He turned back to face Momiji. "I have been called many names."

Momiji's vision went white.

"But you can call me Grudu."


	11. Chapter 10

\- Ryu -

The endless void.

A single consciousness set adrift through a sea of endless nothingness, endless darkness.

A speck in the cosmos.

A sound not heard.

Was this death? An endless void? Nothingness forever?

Was this the place in between? Where souls travel to the other side or get lost forever?

Was it collective or solitary?

Or perhaps this was the collective consciousness. Where souls go when consciousness is lost. When you go to sleep when you slip away from the physical.

Through the murky darkness, a shinning light emerged, a pinprick in the impenetrable blackness. A phenomenon that was impossible, nothing existed here. But now something did.

It grew in size. Cutting through the darkness, but never illuminating the void.

Shape formed in the blur of light. It was getting closer, not bigger. A girl's form etched in the light, or rather the light was emitting from the girl.

She reached out her hand, Ryu took it.

Ryu's eyes flew open and he jumped to his feet. He felt his chest, the stab wound was gone. He looked at his arm, the thin cut from was gone as well. He was full of energy, he felt better than he had in days.

He struggled to remember what was happening. He was fighting Nyx, he was beaten, he was dead? But now he wasn't? Momiji!

Nyx was standing over Momiji, her eyes closed, chanting. His dragon sword was raised in her hands.

Before he could make a move, Momiji's body started hovering on the coffin. A light emitted from her chest, the eye of the dragon emerged from the light.

Suddenly the ground shook, throwing Nyx off balance. Momiji slumped back on the alter, the light from her chest fading. The eye of the dragon still suspended in the air.

The ground rumbled again, Momiji's entire body started glowing with a white light.

"What?! No!" Nyx shouted, she took a step back, a look of mingled horror and outrage on her face. "You cannot intervene old man!"

She rose the dragon sword to strike, but before she could hit Momiji with the blade, her cursed knife that was still impaled in her Momiji's stomach, shattered. Energy rippled out from the blade sending Nyx flying off her feet. The dragon sword clattered to the ground.

A man was standing next to the altar, his body was translucent, glowing with white light.

"You're powerless old man!" Nyx roared.

She blasted the man with energy, but it had no effect. Faster than Ryu could process, the man was standing in front of the altar, then he was standing in front of Nyx. He grabbed her by the throat, he hurled her with so much force she crashed through the wall on the far end of the temple, she sailed down the mountain plowing down trees in her wake.

The man turned back to Ryu, he smiled, then vanished.

After being utterly bewildered for a moment, Ryu came to his sense and rushed to the alter. Momiji's wounds had been healed, her expression was peaceful. Her eyes fluttered open, she focused on him and she smiled.

"Ryu..."

Ryu lowered his mask, he bent down and pressed his lips to hers.

After a few seconds he broke away, "Are you alright?" He asked, stroking her face.

"I'm fine," Momiji said softly.

Suddenly an explosion and a rage-filled howl came from down the mountain, interrupting the two.

"I think we should save this for later, we have a goddess to kill," Momiji said.

Ryu picked up his dragon sword, Momii handed him the eye of the dragon and the two raced down the mountain. Fiends still crowed the staircase, but with Momiji by his side, the cure healed, and his energy restored. They were handled swiftly and with ease.

In the courtyard, Rachel was finishing up the remaining fiends. Smoldering bodies covered the area, the giant grand fiend's body laid in one corner, it's head did not.

"Took it long enough," She said to Ryu as she smashed a fiend with her war hammer.

There was only a single fiend left. Rachel picked it up with two hands, after spinning in a circle, she launched it in the air. Momiji leaped high in the air, bringing her knee up she met the demon in the air. They came crashing down to the ground, Momiji landing on top of it. Rachel dashed forward, she brought her heel crashing down on the demon's skull. Its head exploded.

"Glad to see you okay, kid." She said to Momiji, placing a hand on Momiji's shoulder.

"Have you seen Nyx?" Ryu asked.

"Ha!" Rachel snorted. "Whatever that explosion was up at the temple sent that bitch crashing right down in the village somewhere."

The three started running towards the bridge that connected to the rest of the village. "Hayate is here, and he's brought reinforcements." Rachel said.

They ran down the hall, down the short hill, and on to the bridge.

Ayane was holding off more fiends, Kasumi was with her. With the assistance of the two ninjas and the fiend hunter. The remaining fiends were eliminated.

"Hayate is holding off Nyx," Ayane said. Pulling her knife out of a demon's neck.

"She looked mad, we need to hurry," Kasumi said.

They ran over the bridge, along the cliffside, and past destroyed houses, dealing with any straggling fiends.

Hayate was holding off Nyx single-handedly, fiends and Mugen Tenshin clan ninja's fought throughout the village. Two helicopters hovered in the air, agents rained bullets down on fiends.

"DOATEC' was emblazoned on the sides.

Omitsu, along with the surviving Hayabusa clan ninjas were raining arrows down on fiends. Some were in the fray.

Hayate was doing a surprisingly good job of holding Nyx off. He weaved and dodged, avoiding all of Nyx's energy blasts, getting close enough to get a quick slash or jab in on the goddess before backing up before she could lash out at him.

Nyx was becoming increasingly frustrated with the ninja, rage etched her face. They noticed the group at the same time, a look of relief at was on Hayate's face whereas Nyx got even angrier.

With a rush of energy, Nyx sent a shockwave sending Hayate flying backwards. She charged at Ryu, he ran forward to meet her.

She lashed out with her talons as Ryu swung his sword. As soon as nail hit steel a shockwave of energy rippled out from the collision. Nyx stumbled back a few steps.

She glared at the eye of the dragon plated on the grip of his sword. She smirked, "I guess I should thank you for bringing the eye of the dragon to me. It saves me the trouble of having to fetch it."

Nyx hovered in the air, encasing herself in encircling black runes. She starting chanting, her voice echoing through the village. Fiends melted out from the folds of her robes. She grabbed the jewel around her neck and shouted an incantation. Two grand fiends formed out of the darkness.

Nyx rained ninpo blasts down from the sky as the new wave of fiends surged on the group.

Hayate and Rachel took on one grand fiend together. The combination of Hayate's swift powerful strikes and Rachel's blunt force was enough to keep the monster at bay. Ayane and Kasumi took on the other one. The monster simply wasn't fast enough to catch the two Kunoichi. Every time it tried to strike one of them, they would be long gone, attacking another portion of its body.

Ryu and Momiji took on Nyx.

Momiji encased them in a protective barrier as Nyx rained ninpo blasts from the sky. She shot straight out of the sky at the two, she struck the shield with tremendous force, but Momiji held fast.

"Hold," Ryu said. Momiji kept the barrier up.

She began to strike the shield repeatedly, a manic look on her face.

"Now!" Ryu shouted. Momiji's barrier shattered, sending shards of energy flying into Nyx's face. The goddess stumbled back, the shards flying into her face.

Before Ryu could attack her, the ground split in front of him and a wall of purple fire erupted between them, forcing him to take a step back. Nyx flicked shards out of her face, black blood spilled out of wounds on her face. The blood mixed with the look of fury on her faces made her look grotesque.

The ground around her feet trembled and cracked as she howled with rage.

Ryu attacked, he hit her with strike after strike, which the goddess would parry with her long talons. Every time Nyx would try to counter-attack, Momiji would blast her with ninpo.

Stepped backwards, Nyx grabbing the jewel around her neck. Another wave of fiends melted out of her robes. Momiji dealt with the group of demons.

Ryu charged at Nyx. He continued to attack the goddess, not giving her a chance to breathe. They went back and forth until they were both breathing heavily. They were at a standstill.

Nyx reached for the jewel once again, Fast as lightning, Ryu dashed at the goddess, aiming a strike at her face. She easily sidestepped the blow.

"You missed," She grinned.

Ryu held up the broken shards of the purple jewel that had been around her neck, he let the shards fall to the ground.

Nyx's grinned turned to a look of horror as the shards fell to the ground. She shuttered violently, black smoke started drifting out of her robes. She screamed and the black smoke shot into the sky. The souls she had imprisoned within the fabric were freed, she couldn't feed off their energy anymore.

She charged at Ryu, but with most of her power drained away. She was no match for the dragon ninja. With one clean thrust, Ryu impaled the goddess through the chest.

She collapsed to her knees. Black blood trickled from her eyes and the corner of her mouth, she retched and gargled trying to form words. Her eyes burn with intense hatred.

"Filthy parasite," She spat. "I will eviscerate your entire bloodline, I will drag your soul to the pits of hell, I will..."

With one clean chop, her words were cut off, along with her head.

\- Momiji -

After Nyx was defeated, the remaining fiends scattered. Missing people started turning up all over the place, The Hayabusa village, the Mugen Tenshin, Tokyo. None of them had any memories of what happened. Once the jewel she was using to convert human energy to power was destroyed, she couldn't keep all those souls imprisoned anymore. Her power was broken.

The sun was rising over the Hayabusa village. The last of the Hayabusa villagers were being accounted for. Omitsu was taking care of the ones wounded in the battle.

"Saved by divine forces?" Hayate scoffed. Ryu and Momiji had just given him the rundown of what had happened at the temple. They were standing in a clearing within the village, the DOATEC helicopters were getting ready to take off.

Hayate looked in bewilderment at Ryu, "You must be the luckiest person I've ever known."

Ryu shrugged.

"Master Hayate arrived at the perfect time," Ayane said. "Rachel and I were about to be overwhelmed."

"The real thanks belongs to Helena," Hayate said, gesturing to the choppers behind him. "She sends her regards by the way. I wish we could stay, but we have our own clan to clean up."

The ninjas bowed to each other. Hayate, Ayane, and Kasumi boarded one of the helicopters and they were off.

"Not me," Rachel said. "I could do with some dinner and rest." She said with a pointed look at Ryu.

He smiled, "I'll have someone show you to somewhere you can stay," He said.

"Thank you, if the food's good enough I might stick around to help you clean up this mess."

Rachel walked off. Momiji was about to follow her when Ryu took her hand, "Can we talk?" He asked, his green eyes piercing hers. She nodded.

He took her just outside the village, the two sat together alone. They didn't speak about what happened back at the Mugen Tenshin clan, they didn't need too.

"I think I was dead," Ryu said.

Momiji gave him a questioning look.

"Before Grudu saved both of us, I was done, Nyx beat me."

"What happened?"

"I'm not sure, It felt like nothing. But I think I remember someone else being there, pulling me out. Then I woke up, healed." Ryu said. He gave her a meaningful look.

Momiji stared at him, "Me? But I don't remember anything like that."

"I can't shake this feeling... Anyway," He took both her hands in his. "When you went missing, I went a bit crazy. I thought I lost you. I realized that's the one thing I still fear."

"And when I thought Nyx killed you..." He didn't finish the sentence.

He brushed his lips against her hand. "You're the only one I can't lose. So, please stay by my side."

"I was already going to do that, Master Ryu," She said softly.

His brow furrowed. "That's not what I..."

Momiji leaned in and kissed him, cutting his sentence off. "I know what you meant." She smiled, lacing her fingers around his neck.

They sat together for a while. Until Ryu decided to go back and get some rest. They would be very busy rebuilding the village.

Momiji stayed behind, watching Ryu walk back to the village. She thought about what her sister had told her. She decided against telling him what Kurhea had said, she knew him too well. Knowing she didn't blame him wouldn't stop him from blaming himself.

Kureha had told her to look after him. Momiji stood up, she smiled and started walking back to the village.

One way or another Ryu would find his way, he would learn to forgive himself. And she would be there with him, keeping her promise to her sister.

Where the two ninjas had been sitting, watching Momiji walk back to the village, a man sat. He smiled as his simple gray robes drifted in the breeze.

In a blink of an eye, he was gone.


	12. Epilogue

Epilogue

It was mid summer, months had passed by since the shadow goddess incident. Everything was peaceful again.

Somewhere in the forest between the Hayabusa village and the Mugen Tenshin clan, a little house sat in a clearing, a stream running next to it.

A girl sat by the stream, enjoying the fresh air and warm summer sun. She was wearing a simple long white dress, her long black hair tied in a high ponytail falling down her back.

A man walked out of the house, he was wearing simple blue robes. His long brown hair held in a ponytail as well. He sat down next to the girl, his striking green eyes never leaving her.

They sat together.

The dragon ninja and the shrine maiden.

\- The End -


End file.
